Listen

THEN JESUS SAID, “HE WHO HAS EARS, LET HIM HEAR.”


MARK 4:9



In my long experience of this adventure called life, I have found a certain truth; those who most need to hear the truth are unable or most likely unwilling to listen.



Character flaws which glare like neon upon their lives to others remain hidden and unaddressed by those possessing them. Loving friends who do their best to illuminate these flaws are either ignored or shunned or dismissed. Friendship crumble, relationships ruin, beautiful, fulfilling interactions rot like fresh-caught fish left out in the summer sun for too long.



Jesus knew this ignorant side of man. He knew every time that He spoke a few would respond, but most would not. And so often before He was about to handout a potential life-changing truth, He would preface it by saying, “HE WHO HAS EARS, LET HIM HEAR.” This curious oft-used phrase was Christ’s way of saying, “Most of you who need to hear this won’t; you will hear, but you will not listen” or “You will listen but you will not follow through, knowing the cost of discipleship is the submission of your own desires and will.



I have toyed with the idea of hosting a seminar of corporate management. I know many pastors and small business leaders who would benefit from a weekend of examination of their treatment of their employees. The problem is that to the person, not one of those employers would be willing to attend such a weekend even if it were cost them nothing more than their time. Why? Because they are quite content to do business as they always have, even though they struggle with employee and customer loyalty. They just don’t have the ears to hear.



Within the institutional church the problem is much the same; congregants gather hoping to hear truths that might change their lives, but weekly reject those truths for life as usual; we desire intimacy and community, but we shun it out of fear of venerability, which is little more than acknowledging our own personal need to change and grow. One of my favorite personal quotes was from a poignant popular song of years gone by, it goes, “THERE ARE NONE WHO ARE SO BLIND AS THOSE WHO WILL NOT SEE”.



What is God trying to say to you today? The very thought that makes your heart pulse and your palms swear; the very thing you need to say or to do or to change is as simple as facing the fear and doing what you know you ought.

This message is for you; “HE WHO HAS EARS, LET HIM HEAR.” AMEN!