The Many Facets Of Hearing

There are many facets of hearing, for the wise man Solomon once noted, “The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will abide among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31 ESV), and Jesus tells us to “Consider carefully what you hear” (Mark 4:24 NIV).

We know there are all kinds of evil and sin which originates in the hearing of the ear. For example, there are multitudes of false teachers who can make error sound like truth (Jeremiah 12:6; cf. Proverbs 26:24-28; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Corinthians 11:4,14). We can hear gossip and rumors about members which can lead to the defamation of their character (Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 26:22-28; cf. Proverbs 12:17-18). Listening to words of profanity and vulgarity can hurt our character as well (James 3:6-12).

Many a proposition to sin begins with a simple whisper in an individual’s ear (Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 17:9). Solomon emphasizes this very point when he states, “An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue” (Proverbs 17:4). He continues by saying that God’s wisdom is designed to “deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words” (Proverbs 2:16). If we turn off our conscience and listen to sinful thoughts and ideas, it becomes much more difficult to “hear” God’s word (cf. Zechariah 7:8-12; Acts 7:51-57). As a result, our walk with God becomes hampered (Jeremiah 13:10; Jeremiah 16:12).

Solomon tells us, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). The so-called “religious” leaders of Jesus’ day were not receptive to “hearing” the words of Jesus (Matthew 13:10-16; cf. Isaiah 6:9; Ezekiel 12:2; Hebrews 5:8-11). The best thing for us to be “hearing” is God’s word (Matthew 7:26; Romans 10:17) and God’s wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-2; Proverbs 5:1-2). The Hebrew writer adds, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (Hebrews 2:1).

It’s interesting to note that the Greek term “pararheo” translated “drift away,” gives us the idea of a boat that has drifted away from its moorings and becomes adrift. As Christians, we too can “drift away” from the moorings of the gospel, and be swept downstream into worldliness and error (Hebrews 3:6-12; cf. 2 Timothy 4:10). May we seriously ponder the above thoughts this day (Psalm 1:1-2), and then issue the same response to the Lord as that of Samuel over 3,000 years ago, “Speak for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets