What Happened To Hearing?

Have you noticed that there is relatively no one who knows how to listen anymore? Or are you so caught up in the trend yourself that you haven’t recognized it? The Bible says that “a wise man will hear and will increase learning" (Prov. 1:5). Learning comes by hearing and by quiet observation, as well as by other means; none of which means include talking all of the time when in someone else’s presence. The scripture also states that "a fool’s voice is known by the multitude of words" (Eccl. 5:3). Yet that is all anyone wants to do these days, is talk and talk some more. Whether on the phone, the internet, or in person; it’s all about having as much to say as possible, and that about nothing. Talking with someone? Be sure to talk over top of them hurriedly if they even appear that they are going to say something. Same thing on the phone. Sound familiar? And I guess it’s a good thing to answer someone according to what you think they are going to say, before you even give them a chance to say what they’re saying? It’s absolute utter confusion but I see it continually almost every time there is a chance to see it. Maybe the Bible is just wrong for saying that "there is more hope of a fool, than for a man who is hasty in his words" (Prov. 29:20). Or, "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him" (Prov. 18:13). If the Bible is right about these things however, then we certainly have an epidemic of true biblical foolishness, and a heck of a lot of biblical fools running around. And by the way, the Bible IS right in these things as it is in all things.

This condition is not excluded to ‘the world,’ meaning those who have not been born again. It very much includes ‘the world’ in the body of Christ as well. You see, ‘the world’ simply means those who are of the mind and spirit of this world, and that includes those who have been born again but have not died to sin and do not know the mind of Christ. It doesn’t matter how much a wise man demonstrates the willingness to hear someone, there is almost nobody at all that has the capacity to follow that example and reciprocate that willingness themselves. After all, it is always the addictive talker who is the only one with something worthwhile to say, right? My friend, I believe, as an old gospel song says, "somebody’s wrong about the Bible.” In fact, in observation of this overwhelming, unfortunate state of man today, a whole lot of religious folks are demonstrating continually that they do not really believe or care about what the scriptures have to say regarding wisdom and foolishness. Those who do know God’s Spirit are in large circumstance forced to withhold desperately needed wisdom simply because there is no one who has “an ear to hear” or the ability to listen (Rev. 2:7).. And to believe that someone can behave themselves in such a way with men, and still be hearing from God, is just a lie. If we can’t listen to our brother whom we can see, how are we going to be able to hear from God whom we cannot see? (I Jn. 4:20) In conclusion allow me to quote Jesus: “If any man hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith…” (Rev. 3:6). Amen.