H is for Hear

How hard is it to hear? Is it difficult or a chore? What does hearing require? Do we have to do anything out of the ordinary in order to hear?

How would you define hear? Is there more to hearing than just simply "detecting a sound"? The youth all agreed that yes there is more to hearing than detecting a sound.

Does hearing mean something more than the medical terminology for Christians? It most certainly does! Let's look at scripture to better understand what hearing is all about.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21

Quick to listen and slow to speak. Clearly listening and hearing is very important, crucial even. Often listening is more important and the first priority over speaking or doing. However, both are mentioned.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it - not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do. those who consider themselves religious and yet to not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. James 1:22-26

The first two sentences of the previous passage gives us a clear, Christian, scriptural definition of "hearing". Don't just listen to the word but DO WHAT IT SAYS.

Hearing has two parts and we need to make certain we are doing both parts, listening to God's Word and doing it, in our daily lives. How often do we go to church, listen, socialize, and then go back to the daily grind? How often have we missed the connection of hearing and doing?

Verse 23 says "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like". Nothing too difficult here to understand! Listening to God's word and then not doing it are the same as forgetting what you look like. Being an imitator of Christ is DOING. Performing tasks requires DOING.

How are you at this? How is your listening? How is your hearing?

What good is it if we don't listen then do? James said it - it is worthless, dead.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17

James is very clear in this passage when speaking about our faith. If all we do is claim our faith and listen without doing then our faith is dead. Does this mean that our actions help get us to heaven? That we somehow have to earn our spot?

NO! By the grace of God we are saved, through our faith. Out of our faith comes good works; those good works which God prepared, not us. God calls us to live out our faith. Living faith takes deeds, good works. Those deeds that are done not for boasting or self exemplification but instead done for serving. If we have a strong, rooted faith in Christ, then we live it out in our deeds. We hear, we listen, then we do what the Word of God instructs us to do.

How about your faith? Is it dead? It is easy to have a living faith while on a servant event or some other Christ-centric trip. What about when you're not on a trip surrounded by other believers? What about 10 years from now? Will your faith be strong and living then? Will you be listening and doing? Will your faith be stronger than it is now? I hope so! Remember, we must do both parts of hear - listen and do.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sane. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matthew 7:24-29

Matthew is one of the books that speaks the most about hearing. In this section Matthew says that if we hear the words of God and do them we are like the wise man. He built his house upon the rock! Remember the song?

Our faith is built on the rock of Christ. If we hear His words yet don't live by them, our faith is weak and set up for destruction! How is your faith? Is it built on the rock? Alive and fruitful and ready to withstand storms? Or will your faith crumble when the storms of life rage because your faith has no foundation?

Saying "I go to church" doesn't cut it yet people think it does. Their faith is dead, weak, and worrisome when a storm or trial comes their way.

Grab your Bible and look at Matthew chapters 5-7. Pay attention to how many sections begin talking about hearing. Matthew is very clear as to what happens when you hear and don't do. The risk is not worth it. Do not bring destruction upon yourself!