He Who Has Ears
He Who Has Ears
Category: He Who Has Ears
On several occasions in His teaching, Jesus used a phrase which seems almost silly at first glance. He would conclude His message with, "He who has ears, let him hear." A five-year old might read this and suppose that several members of Jesus' audience were without those flaps of flesh and cartilage that stick out on the sides of our head. But a more mature reader will understand that Jesus was not talking about the ability to receive sound waves and transform them into intelligible words. Jesus was talking about hearing not as a physical activity, but as a mental, volitional activity. He was making a distinction between those who heard His instruction merely as auditory exercises and those who heard with a desire to apprehend and apply. The former were not really interested in drinking from His living stream, they listened for their own selfish purposes. The latter were what we would call "active listeners," seeking sincere, complete understanding from the Teacher. They did not hear half-heartedly with ulterior motives, scrutinizing every word according to their personal prejudices, seeking for an opportunity to object, refute, deny, or contradict. They weren't waiting for Him to take a breath so that they could interrupt with a lengthy story of their own. Rather, they listened with devoted interest.
Obviously, the people with whom we converse today do not speak words of the same magnitude as those of Christ. Not even close. However, there are men and women all around us from whom we can learn much, if we will listen carefully. Those who have learned the great lessons of life and are willing to share their wisdom. Those who possess an extraordinary ability to understand the Word of God. Those who have studied far longer and far more extensively than we have. We are surrounded by sages and advisers who can be of tremendous benefit, if only we will take the time to hear them. Frankly, if for no other reason, common courtesy and respect for other human beings ought to be enough to motivate us to give real attention to the words of others. But, sadly, we are often too busy strengthening our jaw muscles to really concentrate on another's words.
Good, careful listening is an art, a skill that can be honed, and Christians ought to become masters of it.
Be S-l-o-w to Speak
Category: He Who Has Ears
It is not a mere suggestion, but a divine command that we are to be quick to listen and slow to speak. The most explicit record of this fiat is in the first chapter of James. As any parent of toddlers knows, this does not come naturally.
It is hard to listen when our mouths are moving. Like pressing the brake pedal and the gas pedal at the same time, one of them has to give. What we demonstrate when we talk while someone else is talking is that we really don't care what she is saying, or we have already figured out where this is going and so there is no need to allow her to finish. Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now it's time for my eloquent and monumental response. It's rude. It's selfish. It's sin.
But it takes more than just keeping the mouth shut because we are perfectly capable of keeping this commandment externally while inside we are chattering away. The real goal is love and humility. We should have an affection and respect for others such that we place a high value on what they say. And we ought to be humble enough to believe that our fellow conversationalist may actually be saying something worthy of hearing. We are sure to miss it, however, if we are too busy formulating our next paragraph.
Being quick to listen and slow to speak takes effort. For some, it is a Herculean task. But the chance to practice occurs dozens of times every day. And it is one of the most obvious ways that we regard others as more important than ourselves and treat others the way we want to be treated.
As the saying goes, "Today will provide you with many opportunities to keep your mouth shut. Take advantage of most of them."