Word Power
# 7 Hearing Words
Jesus had a lot
to say about hearing and what we hear. In Mark 4:23-24,
Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Take
heed what you hear. With the same measure you use it will
be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be
given.” This tells us to take heed, or pay close attention
to, what we hear. I believe it also implies that we need to
develop a “hearing ear”.
What
or
how
we
hear affects the thoughts that we think, and even the words
we speak, or the actions we take in response to what or how
we hear. What
we
hear can influence us for good or bad. When we constantly
listen to depressing or violent words, it affects our
thinking about ourselves and maybe about life in general.
Or if we hear good, positive things about ourselves, it
makes us feel good, and can change how we look at
ourselves.
When we listen to someone speak, are we hearing with
preconceived ideas? Are we listening with biases that color
and influence what we hear? At some point in our lives, we
have probably all taken offense to something someone has
said, and responded, “What’s that
supposed to
mean?”. Are we listening to prove someone wrong, or are we
listening to hear truth? Are we listening with “selective”
hearing, so that we tune out everything we don’t want to
hear? That’s like the old saying, “In one ear, and out the
other.” Or are we listening intently to glean all we can
from what’s being said?
“Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use it
will be measured to you, and to you who hear, more will be
given.” This scripture also brings to my mind the question,
are we good listeners? When people talk to us, do we really
listen to them? If the same measure that we listen with
will be measured back to us, will anyone really listen to
us? Or will they tune us out like we have tuned other
people out?
The Old Testament in the Bible (Numbers 13) tells us the
story of the 12 spies. The Israelites had been miraculously
delivered from the Egyptians, crossed the Red Sea and were
in the desert waiting to cross over into the Promised Land.
Moses sent 12 spies into the Promised Land to spy out the
land and report back to him. When they returned, two of
them, Joshua and Caleb, had a good report of a land flowing
with milk and honey and that the Israelites were well able
to conquer the inhabitants of the land. However, the other
10 spies reported that there were giants in the land that
made them look like grasshoppers, and they could not take
the land. The people in the desert believed the “evil”
report, or the negative report of the 10, instead of
believing the good report given by Joshua and Caleb. They
then wandered around in the desert until they died. They
did not see the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb did! While
this is talking about what they believed, I think it also
points to what and how they “heard”. They obviously did not
have a hearing ear to hear what God was saying. They didn’t
hear truth! This is a good example of the majority being
wrong.
The Bible tells us in Romans 10:17 that “Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” If faith comes by
hearing, we need to be hearing the right words. It is
important for us to be hearing the Word of God. It’s also
good when we hear ourselves speaking it.
In hearing God’s Word, do we stretch our minds – stretch
our faith – listen intently for the voice of God, listen
intently to hear truth, hear life? To hear in the Spirit,
see in the Spirit? Do we listen for His voice? Do we
measure out our hearing in large, finely-tuned doses to be
able to hear more? For the more we hear, the more we will
be given. Jesus said in Mark 4:11 that we have been given
the ability to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God. So
if we listen, we will hear! Jesus also said in John 10:1-18
that He is the Good Shepherd and His sheep know His voice.
If we are born again believers, we know His voice. Let us
listen with hearing ears for His voice in everything we
hear or listen to. There is life in His words. His words
have power that can change our lives.