Scripture Reading:

Mark 4

Please comment below with your conversation with God and/or insights from today’s Scriptures.

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1. What are your overall thoughts about the chapter?

2. What part of this chapter did you most resonate with?

3. What is your prayer to God brought on by this chapter?

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Chapter Notables:

1. Parable of the Sower - verses 1-9

2. Jesus breaks down what the parable means - verses 10-20

3. Lamp on the light stand - verses 21-23

4. “What you give is what you will receive and more - verses 24-25

5. Parable of the Growing Seed - verses 26-29

6. Parable of the Mustard Seed - verses 30-34

7. Jesus quiets the storm - verses 35-41

Ears To Hear | Lemuel Ayudtud

There are some things that are easy to be understood. The issue with some is that they don’t listen what is being said rather they hear what they‘ve already determined to hear. Of course we’re not talking about having the physical inability to hear, we are talking about the hindrances of accurately listening As opposed to assumptive hearing.

Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower to His disciples. While we understand the parablue today, somehow Jesus‘s teachings went over their heads. Maybe because they’re in Galilee, a seaside community, mostly made out of fisherman and not farmers. Maybe they could not relate. Who really knows? But somehow they missed the point of the parable. And so Jesus had to go and take His time to let the disciples know exactly what He was talking about.

Most of us know the story of the sower so we’re not going to take time in explaining it. What I do want to discuss is the fact that Jesus said to them, “If anyone has ears to hear let him hear.” Jesus obviously was not talking about their audible capacity. Jesus was speaking about their comprehensive ability.

Just because we hear doesn’t mean we understand. And just because we may understand the words being said doesn’t mean we’re really listening. Some words are said and no matter how someone may explain it, our perception of what is being said can override what is actually being told us.

It’s important for us to note that Jesus explained His parable to them, breaking it down into tiny little pieces. Why was that? Firstly He wanted to make sure that they understood exactly what He was saying, as in the verbiage of it. Secondly, more importantly, Jesus wanted them to capture what He was teaching them through the words He was using.

When speaking to people we have to understand that just because we are articulating our words correctly, the depth of what we’re trying to express may not be captured. This is true for us as it is for other people. Remember that in us is also the inability to actually hear what’s being said. Sometimes our prejudices, our preconceived ideas, our judgment of the person speaking, or even our mood can affect the way we understand what is being said. Learning how to hear is as important as hearing itself.

The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing. The importance of hearing cannot be understated. Faith is connected to our ability to hear. What we believe something to be, is connected to how we hear what something actually is. How we perceive our tomorrow or even our relationships can be rooted in our abilities to hear our spouse or hear the news from wherever we’re getting it from.

Many people have lost their way because of their inability to hear properly. Relationships have fallen apart because certain things weren’t perceived correctly though it was said adequately.

Here are some some things to consider when it comes to listening correctly, especially when hearing something for what it is is paramount:

1. Do not set personal expectations on the person’s delivery or usage of words. Thinking what someone will say or how they’re supposed to say want we want to hear can be a detriment to our ability to actually understand somebody. Some people just find it difficult to express themselves. Setting no expectations makes it easier for you to hear and for them to express.

2. Come with no judgment. Do not pre-judge the conversation. Do not have preconceived ideas coming into the conversation. I allow people the freedom to say what they say without the fear of judgment. This requires self-control and maturity on our part.

3. Be gracious in your listening. This is so important especially when emotions are high. Always believe the best in people unless they prove you wrong. Remember that you, too, need grace, so extend it first.

4. Consider what you have invested in the relationship. Do not throw away years of friendship or connections because of misunderstandings. Know the heart of the person speaking. If you don’t know the heart, then ask: do you love me? Are you for me? How am I supposed to hear this? How do you want me to hear what you’re saying?

5. Give importance to what’s being said not for the words but from whom the words are coming from. Don’t just listen to the verbiage, celebrate the person that’s saying it. At times the level of our understanding is ceded in the level of our respect for somebody. If we give respect to everyone, then we would hear much better.

Going through the Scriptures, particularly this chapter, Jesus tells us that whatever we give it will be given back to us. The same measure that we mete it will be me meted back to us. So when it comes to listening, we all want to be heard, but let’s consider the fact that in order for that to happen we have to hear first. Also in this chapter Jesus silences the storm. If I can pull a little bit of poetic liberty, maybe even in that incident Jesus is telling us something about listening. I suppose the best way to listen is to actually be silent when listening.

Lord, give me an ear to hear and a hard to understand. Give me the grace to hear others when they’re speaking to me. Help me to know what is being said over the things that I want to hear. Lord, ultimately I want to have an ear that hears Your voice. Father, teach me to hear You, even in the most difficult times, not the things that I want to hear but those things that You’re actually saying. In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen.