Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one LORD:” The word “here” means to hear in order to understand and consider, and it leads to hear with the purpose of action. I remember as a boy, my mom would tell me to take out the trash, and I would keep playing. As I ignored her command, she would say to me, “James, look at me and answer me, “Did you hear me?!” I would say, “I heard you, mom” She would respond, “Then do what I have told you to do.” It is not enough just to hear what is being said, we must be willing to hear for the purpose of personal application and growth. The privilege of hearing is telling others about what we have heard. Matthew 5:16 tells us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Our actions are a reflection of our hearing, when we don’t know what to do, we do what we know to do. Learning is important, and if we are going to be characterized by changed behavior, we need to have heard the teaching of the Word of God so that we can learn to put those principles into our lives. As you approach this day, if you do things that does not please the Lord, learn the principles of a follower of Christ from God’s Word, and begin to put them into practice in your life.
