Noises surround us and bombard us at times. Even our own thoughts may tune out the life-enhancing words that the Lord provides through His book and Spirit. Perhaps an important prayer to add to our daily list should be, “Lord, open my spiritual ears to hear what You want to say to me.” How about it?
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES by Sally Bair
Sensitive ears
The fawns have lost their spots by now, but most babies still cling to their mothers’ sides while others wander off a bit. While watching a doe, it’s easy to tell when it remains on high alert after its baby has trotted too far away. Sometimes the mama huffs, other times she stomps her hoof loud enough to draw the recalcitrant youngster back to safety.
Fawns, goslings, and other young creatures are not much different than many human kids. They seem not to hear, seem even to ignore Mom and Dad. Instead, they appear to listen to another call—perhaps that of an interesting sound of nature, a tempting toy, the enticing actions of others. Their ears seem to itch for sounds other than the warning voices of parents. Clearly, trouble lies ahead for little tykes, unless they change course.
We adults also have a tendency to turn our ears toward new, exciting sounds that may hold danger, even when our consciences tell us to listen only to what is good and true and beneficial.
Paul the Apostle warns believers that "…the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Like animals, we can be curious. We’re surrounded by many voices today and our ears easily itch to hear some of them. We may be drawn to a new philosophy or a new, exciting lifestyle, one that harms our relationship with God our Savior and Lord. We can be tempted to follow the bad habits of others because they've glamorized the effects. We may hear a preacher or evangelist twist a biblical truth to fit beliefs other than our own, choosing only the truths that satisfy our itching ears.
Sound doctrine is important in following God’s perfect will. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
We do well to daily seek His truth and good judgment as given in His Word. As the days dwindle toward the end of our lives or creation itself, it's important to be more vigilant than ever to keep our ears from itching for unsound doctrine.
Lord, thank You for the life-giving, sound truths of Your Word. Keep our ears sensitive to the truth as we are surrounded by the world’s deceptive myths and doctrines. In Jesus' name, amen.
Comments