This morning I had an appointment with a VA doctor to see about getting hearing aids. She tested my hearing and was surprised by the amount of hearing I have lost. She said she is usually pretty good at spotting people with hearing loss that requires hearing aids. Then she told me I do a very good job of hiding it. I wonder if that is a compliment or an accusation. My wife used to accuse me of having “selective hearing”; only hearing what I wanted to hear. My hearing aids will be ready in a month or two.
This experience reminded me of the spiritual selective hearing Paul wrote to Timothy about. “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear.” (2nd Timothy 4:3)
At least seven times Jesus is quoted in the Gospels, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Then eight times in Revelation John quotes Jesus saying from heaven, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Jesus obviously put emphasis on carefully listening to God’s message to us. I have mentioned before that I often read scripture aloud so I can hear it as well as read it. That helps to imprint God’s word in my mind and my heart.
Ironically, as my physical loss of hearing has made it more difficult to hear the people around me, I have learned to pay closer attention to the prompting and teaching of God’s Holy Spirit within me and understand perfectly what he wants me to say, write or do. As Elijah, I have learned that a message from God does not come from a wind storm or earthquake. It comes in the form of a still small voice (a whisper). That’s because you must lean closer and concentrate completely to listen to and understand a whisper and God wants our complete attention when he communicates with us.
Sadly, there are some people who have turned a deaf ear to God’s message to them. Like I did with my physical loss of hearing, they have often become very good at hiding it. I pray that you and I always approach God with open ears and an open heart. May our ears be filled with God’s truth and our hearts filled with His love. .