by Jeremy Paschall
A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour, and the streets were full of people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.”
His friend was astonished. “What?You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!”
“No, I’m sure of it,” the Native American replied, “I hear a cricket.”
“That’s just crazy,” said the friend.
The Native American listened carefully for a brief moment and then walked across the street to a large cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend stood utterly amazed.
“That is incredible,” said his friend. “You must have super-human ears!”
“No,” answered the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours. All depends on what you’re listening for.”
“But that can’t be!” said the friend. “I could never hear a cricket in this racket.”
“Yes, you’re right,” came the reply. “It all depends on what’s really important to you. Here, let me show you.”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that hit the pavement was theirs.
“See what I mean?” asked the Native American. “It all depends on what is important to you.”
Spiritually speaking, what’s important to you? The Word of God? What your parents and grandparents have told you about religion? Your preacher’s teaching? Scholarly opinions written in secular books? For what do you listen?
In Jesus’ day, most of the Jews did not have their attention where it ought to have been. Jesus fulfilled prophecy, performed miracles to prove His divine nature, and taught regarding His kingdom. The promises of which they had read and for which they had yearned for generations were being fulfilled right before their very eyes. Their salvation was in front of them, but they simply were not paying attention. Jesus said of them:
“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have close their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.” (Matthew 13:13-16)
We must be careful so that the same condemnation will not be said of us. Let us make sure that our eyes are focused on, our ears are tuned to, and our hearts are centered upon God’s Word. It alone is perfect, complete, and holy. It alone must be our source of spiritual guidance (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
If your grandparents’ and parents’ example, preacher’s teaching, or reading material differs from the Scriptures, what wisdom will you heed — human or divine? You will follow that which is more important to you. You will hear that to which you ascribed the greater value. Let us all resolve to place our highest esteem on the purity and simplicity of God’s Word.