Hearing

Mark tells us that Jesus spoke in parables "as they were able to hear it." Mark 4:33-34

Sometimes I am not able to hear God speak to me because I am not dealing - or don't want to deal - with what He is talking about. The thing I have to be careful about is wondering why others are not hearing God.

Maybe God has already dealt with me on a particular sin in my life and I'm beyond that now. So then I wonder why someone else is not beyond it. I mean, God's word is so clear, how can anyone not know what they are doing is not pleasing to God. Surely God is dealing with them about it. Surely they hear the truth preached on Sunday. Surely they see it in Scripture.

Maybe not. Maybe that person is not ABLE to hear. Maybe they have other issues going on in their lives that Jesus needs to deal with first.

I just need to be kind and loving as I speak truth into lives as Jesus directs. Not everyone reads their Bible daily. Not everyone seeks out Christian counsel. Not everyone is ready to deal with sin in their lives. Not everyone wants to please Jesus above themselves or other people. Maybe they are just beginning their walk with Jesus or perhaps they think salvation is the end of the journey rather than the beginning.

As I "work out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling" striving for the "holiness without which no one will see God",  I need never to forget that this has been a long journey and often a struggle with recurring sin and doubt, with times of impulsiveness and an unwillingness to let God lead me. Others may be where I once was so I just might be the voice God uses to help them to hear his truth. But if I speak without love, I am not going to speak well.