Definition: If you say something until you are blue in the face, it means you keep saying the same thing over and over again but no one listens to you
We've all heard it before - Maybe you've said it about your kids, maybe it's someone at work that you've been trying to communicate with, or maybe it's a phrase you've used with a stubborn family member. It wasn't until this week though that I realized Jesus may have also used that phrase too (maybe not in those exact words of course).
In Mark 9:19 Jesus says "You people have no faith! How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you?" = He talked until He was blue in the face.
I've been reading my bible these past few weeks and one of the things I keep seeing over and over again is:
"Let those with ears hear"
"Every person who has ears should listen"
So I've asked myself 'What does that mean?'. Why would this verse be mentioned so many times? I mean, it seems pretty obvious that if you have ears you are going to listen - Right?? Well....not really.
I mean, think about it. How many times have you been having a conversation with someone and then afterwards they ask you a question and you're like "I'm sorry, what?" You HEARD them, but you weren't really listening. Do you think we hear Jesus but we don't really listen? How many times has He been with us but we haven't paid attention? How many opportunities have there been to let Him in our lives but we didn't "hear" Him?
Another verse from Mark says "They did not understand about the miracle of the five loaves because their minds were closed" Ahhhh, ok - It's starting to make more sense now. How can you hear if you don't WANT to hear? But wait, there's more! It also says "Let those with ears use them and listen! Think carefully about what you hear. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you, but God will give you even more. Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them"
Jesus used stories to give people messages. He told story after story but many people did not want to hear them. Listening and actually HEARING what He says are two different things. This verse describes how Jesus felt after talking until He was blue in the face:
"They will look, but they will not learn. They will listen and listen but they will not understand. If they did learn and understand, they would come back to me and be forgiven" ~ Isaiah 6:9-10
Are you starting to get it now? He's giving us a warning AND an opportunity at the same time. He's saying "Look, if you have ears to hear then use them to listen to me and be saved!"One of the stories in Mark perfectly describes how we are and what we do with God's word. It goes a little something like this:
A farmer goes out to plant seeds. While he was planting, some seeds fell by the road and the birds came and ate them up. Some seed also fell on the rocky ground where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast because the ground was not deep but when the sun rose the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. Some other seeds fell among thorny weeds which grew and choked the good plants out so those seeds did not produce a crop. Other seeds feel on good ground and began to grow. They got taller and produced a crop. Those plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more"Ummmm....ok?? So a farmer dropped some seeds and some of them grew and some of them didn't grow. Gee, thanks for the story Jesus.
But what happens if we listen to the story with different ears?
- The farmer is like a person who plants God's message in people
- Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like the people who hear the teaching of God but Satan quickly comes and takes away what was planted in them
- Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy. But since they don't allow the teaching to go deep into their lives, they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes, they quickly give up
- Others are like the seed planted among thorny weeds. They hear the teaching but the worries of this life, the temptation of wealth, and many other evil desires keep the teaching from growing and producing fruit in their lives
- Others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They HEAR the teaching and accept it/apply it. Then they grow and produce fruit - sometimes up to 100x's more
I get it now - I need to do more than just listen. I need to HEAR, maybe even with different ears. I need to be WILLING to let Jesus into my life and then I need to accept what He's saying and apply it.
"Ask and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened"
Are you searching? Are you seeking? If you're not, today is a perfect day to start. Let everyone who has ears listen - That's you :)
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| I hear you Jesus, all the way down in my heart... |
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