May 5 | Which Voice Are You Following?

Today’s readings from 1 Kings 19–20 and Luke 23:1–25 invite us to pay attention to the voices that surround us and shape us, and to how formation happens over time as we learn to recognize what is truly from God and what is not.In 1 Kings 19–20, we see both the quiet voice of the LORD speaking to Elijah and the bold, repeated demands of Ben-hadad confronting Israel. The contrast highlights how God’s voice is often steady and clear, not forceful, while human voices tend to press, repeat, and try to control. It invites us to notice how easily we can respond to what feels urgent instead of what is actually true.In Luke 23:1–25, we watch Jesus stand before Pilate as accusations and crowd pressure grow louder. Even when truth is present, the voices of the crowd begin to shape the outcome, showing how powerful repeated, external voices can become when people stop listening carefully.Together, these passages invite us to reflect on which voices we allow to shape our thinking, how quickly we respond to pressure, and how God continues to speak with clarity even when other voices seem louder.