It’s easy to hear but hard to obey
It’s possible to listen to someone talking and never respond to what they’ve said. The phrase, “in one ear and out the other” refers to that situation. The person listened to what was said, but they didn’t act accordingly as a result of what they heard.
After spending several days of emphasizing the value of listening to God, it’s important to pause here to remember that God isn’t just looking for listeners; He’s looking for listeners who turn what they’ve heard into action.
Jesus warns against hearing without doing
Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount by making this point. He compared two kinds of listeners by telling a story about where two people built their houses. One person built his house on rock, the other built his house on sand. When a storm came, the first house stood strong because it had a solid foundation. The second house, the one built on sand, collapsed. Jesus explained, “anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand” Matthew 7.26 NLT.
Real followers of Jesus put His words into action
To listen to God and never act on what you’ve heard would be the ultimate act of foolishness. Followers of Jesus listen to Him and then act on what they’ve heard. In John 10.27 NIV, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
James, Jesus’ half-brother, picks up the same theme. James 1.22 NLT says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what is says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” According to James, when we listen and don’t act on what we’ve heard, we’re deceiving ourselves into thinking we’ve done something important. God isn’t just looking listeners; He’s looking for listeners who turn what they’ve heard into action.
Disobedience over time will harden your heart
The sad reality is that listening and never acting on what you’ve heard isn’t just foolish, it’s also dangerous. If you listen without acting for long enough, your heart will grow hard. That’s why Hebrews 3.15 NIV warns, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
When our hearts are ready to hear and obey what God says, they become soft and open to God’s Word. On the other hand, when our hearts are stubborn and rebellious, they become hard and closed to God’s Word. God’s Word is the same; only the hearts are different.
God still invites you to listen and live
Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life…” Isaiah 55.3 NLT. He makes the same offer to you today. Come to Him with open ears and an open heart. Listen, and you will find eternal life.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our Student Series books, Walk With God.
