Listening

Scripture References: Jeremiah 7:21-26; Matthew 7:26-27

Lucy, of the Peanuts comic strip, tells Charlie Brown that she has to read a book but doesn’t want to. Would he please read it to her? “Read it yourself,” he says. She replies that reading takes effort and she hates anything that takes effort. Charlie wisely says that listening takes effort, too. But, Lucy retorts, she wasn’t going to listen.

How often we are like Lucy. Shamefully, some of us don’t want the Bible taught. Others want it taught, but not at a level that will provoke thought, action, or change. That is bad. But to want it taught while we sit and not really listen is worse still. The worst of all is to listen—and not obey. Jesus left no doubt. Only those who listen to the Word, obey what they hear, and produce its fruit are acceptable to him. Since we believe in his absolutes, we absolutely believe in hearing and doing the Master’s will.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.