Ever find yourself listening to something, but not really listening? Maybe it was something on the radio in your car or on the TV. I mean you are listening, but not really. It happens to me all the time. Trying to do a number of things at the same time or just simply being distracted by other “more important” can cause us to lose focus on what is being said. I mean we are listening, but not really. Worse yet can be when someone is speaking to us. Maybe you just aren’t into what they are saying or you just don’t feel like it is that important, but sometimes we can find ourselves listening, but not really. What about during Bible class or during a sermon? Ever find yourself listening, but not really?

Now imagine that you are at the doctor’s office and he or she has just told you you have a serious condition. They begin to tell you what you need to do to deal with the situation. They start to explain the medicines you need to take and how often you need to take them or offer some others details to help you resolve the illness. Are you listening differently now? I mean you are listening differently to that aren’t you? You are listening closely so you can do what you need to to take care of the problem.

As Jesus taught, He often began and ended His parables and teachings with “he who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; 8:18). Sounds like a strange statement at first glance doesn’t it? I mean how many people there with Him don’t have ears? While everyone has ears, the question becomes do they have ears “to hear’? The word hear (akouō) in the original language means “to give careful attention to.” The word also carries the idea of hearing in order to do or obey what is being heard. A form of this word is used when, after Jesus calmed the storm the disciples were amazed and remarked “Even the wind and sea obey (akouō) Him” (Mark 4:41). The wind and sea clearly HEARD Jesus’ command to be still. So what does Jesus mean when He says, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”? He means listen carefully in order to do/obey what is being said. You aren’t just there. You aren’t just listening to get to the end. You are really paying attention and are looking to do what you are being told. I would suggest that we have “ears to hear” when the doctor is telling us what to do to deal with our serious issue?

So the question becomes, do we have “ears to hear” when God is trying to speak to us? Are we listening carefully during sermons and Bible classes so we can do what God’s word tells us to? Does the amount of time we spend in personal Bible study show God that we have “ears to hear” what He wants to tell us? Are we looking to do what we hear/read in Scripture or are we listening, but not really? Maybe we need to ask ourselves “Do I have ears to hear what God is saying? And then we need to take the time to listen, I mean really listen, to the answer to that question.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Michael Hite