Listen and not just hear

paying attention to understand

'Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given —and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” ' Mark 4:24-25

what is the difference between the two? according to psychology today:

hearing - the physiological act of hearing sounds; hearing is a passive, physical act that requires one sense and has to do with the perception of sound. it does not rely on concentration. hearing is like collecting data; we hear sounds and words all day long, even if we are not paying attention to them.

listening - listening revolves around actively paying attention to the words and sounds that you hear to absorb their meaning and develop an emotional response; is a mental, active process that requires multiple senses. listening is a voluntary act, meaning that an individual can choose whether or not to hear. If you choose to listen, then it is an active process.

in this verse it tells you to do both, and with it a reward is provided if you do: more understanding given and received. the exact opposite if you do not: what amount of understanding they have will be taken away.

i have been guilty of only hearing and not closely listening in various conversations over the years. mainly it is due to my selfish nature - to be heard vs to acknowledge and recognize what the other person is saying, feeling, and wanting to convey. what we have to realize is that this is what Jesus was teaching, not just the disciples, thousands of years ago to help us actually learn a very valuable skill, and one which pays dividends in all relationships.

when i hear something, i can consciously choose to listen or not. this is important if what got your attention is edifying or destructive. how does what is being said benefit me, the person speaking, or others. for example gossip - you can decide not to listen and pass judgement, or you can focus on what is said and likely become part of the problem.

this is where discernment is key. if what is said tears someone else down or what you fundamentally believe to be right/true, walk away from it. not doing so will likely become your downfall and potentially destroy a good/great friendship. should it be life-giving, seek more, learn more, then share it with other; give what has been beneficial to you/myself.

dear Heavenly Father, thank you for helping me be a better listener and not to be a passive hearer. may my attention and focus be on you and our Lord Jesus when you are speaking. through your Holy Spirit will you teach me to understand more clearly what you are wanting me to learn. may all the glory and honor be yours. in Jesus’ name i pray, amen!