What You Listen To

10.29.2009

Mark 4:24 24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.” New American Standard Bible

In Mark 3, Jesus’ relatives were saying, “He’s gone nuts!” (3.21). Then the scribes were saying, “He’s demon possessed!” and “controlled by Satan!” (3.22) and Jesus gives to warnings. First, don’t call, by your standard of measure, what is good, bad (v. 3.29); and second, “Take care what you listen to.” (4.24)

How we make judgments and live is determined largely by what voice (or whose) we listen to. We may listen to the news and make judgments or we may listen to the voice of our parents and upbringing and make judgments from that. We may listen to the voice of education or voice of politics; or the voice of finance and commerce. We can listen to the voice of medicine or sports. We are spoken to and affected by many societal voices but Jesus simply teaches, be careful (or aware) of the voices we listen to in order to live our lives. The man who tunes out God's voice lives at great risk.

The other side of this is Jesus reminding me that by my standard of judgment, it will be measured back to me. In other words, if I treat others in a certain manner, I shouldn’t be surprised if others treat me that way in return. So if I listen to the voice of God then my judgments (and actions) are influenced by Him. Who I listen to and how I respond determines how I live…The promise is, if I listen to God and obey Him, then I get more and more of what He has to live my life well.

Father in Heaven,

You speak, I’ll listen. You direct, I’ll obey. Help me to live listening to Your voice and filtering the rest of the voices through Yours. Help me to judge wisely and lovingly and to measure correctly. Fill me with the Holy Spirit to hear and obey, I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.