Hearing vs. Listening

Author: Jordan Cunningham

Deuteronomy 6:4-9—Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The words “hear” and “listen” are often used interchangeably in the English language. Any parent, teacher, or caregiver would agree that they are not, in fact, the same. At just 11 months old, my son is already developing the ability to hear but not truly listen—resulting in the trash can being tipped over and a knot on his head, all in the span of fewer than five seconds.

Much like my own son, we as Christians often struggle to move beyond the simple act of hearing God’s Words and into the realm of listening. The act of hearing requires no effort; it is the automatic process of ears perceiving sound. Listening, however, is hearing put to work; it requires attention, understanding, and intentionality.

We recognize the authority and miraculous power that God’s words carry throughout Scripture. God spoke, and the earth was formed (Genesis 1). A paralytic was healed when Jesus told him to rise and walk (Matthew 9:6). Jesus commanded a dead man to rise, and life entered his body once again (John 11:43). As Christians, we have the unique privilege and responsibility to hear and listen to the voice of God. There are multiple ways in which God speaks to His people, but the most common is through The Bible, through The Holy Spirit, through others, and through creation.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is a profound example of how listening to God transforms the way we live our lives, our relationship with God, and how we relate to and lead others. This passage is referred to as the “Shema.” Shema is the Hebrew word for “hear” or, more accurately, “listen.” The author of this passage, Moses, commands the Israelites to love God with all they are—their “heart, soul, and strength.” In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” According to these scriptures, we love God by listening to Him and obeying His words.

The Shema goes on to explain how we can practice listening to God and obeying his commands. Moses says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

When we’re in tune with God’s voice, attentively listening to His Spirit speaking to our hearts, and actively engaging in reading the Bible, our lives begin to change. As we not only hear but absorb what God is speaking to us, we have the ability to pour it back into others. Moses teaches us to share it with our children, talk about it with our family, dwell on God’s word throughout our day, and keep His word at the forefront of our minds. As we shift from hearing to listening to obeying, we’ll see God’s power at work in our lives like never before.

Reflection

1. What are two practical ways you can become more aware of and attuned to the voice of God in your life?

2. What has God spoken to you that you need to be obedient to, even now?