Listen

So I was doing my QT today, and I stumbled upon a very simple verse. It's so simple, that I realized I read it and skip over it as if because it is simple it has very little importance. But today I realized the reason why I fall so much to sin and hypocrisy is because I don't pay attention to this verse.

It comes from the gospel of Luke 14:35
It is the last thing he says.
"You people who can hear me, listen."

You may ask, how much can really come out of that verse? Well let me tell you, it is so dire to our spiritual walk. We can break this verse down into two pieces.

1. "You people who can hear me,..." When Jesus refers to the people who can "hear" him, He is talking about all the people that understand what his parables are speaking about. The parable about the salt and its saltiness, the parable of the big banquet, the parable about the mustard seed, about the yeast of the pharisees, about the lamp on the lampstand, all these parables. If you understand them, you are the person Jesus is talking to.

2. "...listen." When I would read this verse throughout the gospels multiple times I figured I was doing the right thing. I heard what Jesus said about the parable. I got it. I could explain it to others if they didn't understand it. I could write a paragraph on it, or sum it up. I got it. I listened. But for some reason, tonight I saw the word listen and knew that to listen requires something more than just hearing what is said. One definition, given by dictionary.com (which I believe is a reliable source for definitions), says to listen is not only to hear what is being said, but to heed and obey. To heed and obey. To heed is to pay careful attention to something. To obey is to comply or follow the commands, wishes, or instructions that are given. After I looked up this definition of listen, I realized that all along I haven't really been listening to Jesus and His parables. I have been comprehending them, sure. But I have not been heeding nor have I been obeying.

So tonight, I am going to start listening to Jesus instead of just hearing Him. In this way I can worship Him and glorify Him. Let's do it together! :D


FIGHTING!