"Listen Up"

EPISODE 78

Become More Receptive to Truth

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Have you ever felt like you're talking to a brick wall? If you're a parent, you can probably relate. Giving our little ones instruction and guidance, sometimes it feels like no one's listening. In Isaiah, God expressed the same frustrated feelings with his children too.

"... 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed" (Isa. 6:9-10).

Since God speaks to us today through his word, how can we develop the listening that changes us, even when we might be tempted to ignore it?

Love the Truth

Evaluating the evidence and coming to the correct conclusion takes effort. During Jesus' ministry, he spoke in parables to present truth in a way that required work to understand (Matt. 13:10-17). He wants us to dig for it, not stopping until we find it. After all, it's the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32)! We're always in the word, checking what we hear, and holding on to those things which we confirm to be true (Acts 17:11).

So, do you love the truth enough to search for it? Will you refuse to be satisfied with misinformation and rumor?

Get Comfortable With Discomfort

Our natural tendency is to gravitate towards comfortable teaching. To heap up for ourselves words that tickle our ears and make us feel good (2 Tim. 4:3-4), since change can be uncomfortable. But let's get comfortable with being uncomfortable! Like Apollos, who needed correction about his teachings on baptism (Acts 18:25-26), we should welcome the help and wisdom of those courageous enough to teach us as Priscilla and Aquila did.

How do you feel when someone questions your beliefs? Do you put up a wall, refusing to listen, or do you accept instruction as valuable and helpful?

Realize We're Often Wrong

We can convince ourselves of almost anything, it seems. But just because we tell ourselves that we're "right" doesn't make it accurate. If we're honest with ourselves, we realize that we're incapable of directing our steps (Jer. 10:23). We've all sinned (Rom. 3:23). Not one of us is worthy to "cast the first stone" (John 8:1-11). And based on our terrible track record of being wrong, it shouldn't surprise us that there's more for us to learn!

Think back to a time where you were wrong about something. Could you still have more to learn today?

May God soften our hearts to be receptive to his word, challenging as it may be, with humility and a sincere love of the truth.