Matthew 11:15

Frequently, as Jesus challenged people through His teaching, He would say, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  The implication was that people often don’t hear. In the Biblical text, “hearing” does not refer to receiving sounds through the ears and recognizing the meaning of the words spoken, but “hearing” refers to responding to what is said. The idea that someone might not truly hear is similar to modern quip: “I hear you but I’m not listening.”

What was frequent in the day of Jesus is no less frequent today. Often, we hear truth but we don’t respond. Jesus intentionally spoke in parables and used figurative language because He wanted people to choose to follow and choose to trust Him. If things were made too obvious, the truth might be so inescapable that someone could argue that there were being forced to follow.

God loves us so much that He will never force us to love Him but He gives clues about His goodness and grace. We see those clues in sunsets and trees and mountains and oceans and certainly in the cross, but even there, He simply let His actions speak so that we could choose to hear.

As you enter this Holy Week, choose to take a posture of hearing. Whatever God says, do it. Trust it. Embrace it. Because … He alone is life. Is there anything in your life that is holding you back from hearing Him? If so, take a few minutes and surrender that area of your life to Him.

*Note: each evening during Holy Week – a new “Ears to Hear” Reflection will be posted.