ITCHING EARS

When I don’t keep my ears clean, they start to itch. Perhaps I need to keep my spiritual ears clean every day so they won’t itch for the unsound and distrustful noises that surround me. How about you?

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES       By Sally Bair

Sensitive ears

           

While watching a brood of Canada geese one day, I noticed a straggler that didn't pay attention to the calls of its parents who were leading their youngsters out of danger. The recalcitrant straggler seemed not to hear, seemed even to ignore, Mom and Dad. Instead, it appeared to listen to another call—perhaps that of a delectable bug, the enticing gurgle of water, or the rustling grass. Its ears seemed to itch for sounds other than the warning voices of its parents. Clearly, trouble lay ahead for the little tyke unless it changed its course.

This example appears much like our own toddlers and teens, doesn’t it? But we adults, especially those of us who should know better, often turn our ears toward new, exciting sounds that may hold danger, even when our consciences tell us to listen only to what is good and true and beneficial.

Paul the Apostle warns believers that "…the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Like the gosling, we too can be curious. Surrounded by so many voices today, our ears easily itch to hear some of them. We may read an article or book that draws us to its philosophy of a new, exciting lifestyle, one that can be harmful. We’re easily tempted to follow the bad habits of others because they've glamorized the effects.  We may hear a preacher or evangelist twist a biblical truth to fit the beliefs of his own choosing. We may pick and choose only the Biblical truths that satisfy our itching ears.

Sound doctrine is important in following God according to His will. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

We all need to ask Him for good judgment about what we hear, and seek His truth in the Bible every day. As the days dwindle toward the end of our lives, or of creation itself, it's important to be more vigilant than ever to keep our ears from itching for unsound doctrine.

Lord, thank You for the life-giving, sound truths of Your Word. Keep our ears sensitive to the truth as we are surrounded by the world’s deceptive myths and doctrines.  In Jesus' name, amen.