Even though we began by looking at this idea from the book of Hebrews, it was Jesus who established the importance of giving careful consideration to what we hear when he said, “Consider carefully what you hear” (Mk 4.24).

There is something about the way Jesus says this that causes me to want to slow everything down in order to think through what I’ve heard from him.  I feel a seriousness; a weightiness when I contemplate this instruction.  There is an implication that, once I’ve heard something, I have a responsibility to do something with it.  Once I’ve heard Jesus’ teaching, I have a decision to make.  It’s as though hearing the words of Jesus gives me ownership – I either accept them or reject them.  A part of me wants to ask if there is room or time for setting aside some of his instructions to deliberate later; but, at the same time, I feel that isn’t really an option I want to pursue.

Jesus made this statement just before he said. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you…whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Mk 4.24-25).  So, he really is reinforcing the responsibility of using what we’ve been given – what we’ve heard.

What I’ve heard from Jesus must be believed, acted on and integrated into my life.   And, the more I put it into practice, the more I will get.  However, a decision not to put into practice what I hear results in losing what I had.

There is a part of me that reacts against this idea.  There is something about it that seems unfair.  Wouldn’t it be better to simply say that the amount of benefit one gets is in direct proportion to the amount one decides to use?  If I use less, then I get less.  If I use more, then I get more.  That sounds fair.

But that’s not how things work in God’s economy – especially when it comes to the teachings of Jesus.  Jesus’ words are much too valuable.  His message is far too important.

I recall the words of a pastor-friend who, when someone learns something new, says, “You need to use it or you’ll lose it”.

Maybe I’m taking this all a bit too personally.  Yes, Jesus spelled out these things quite specifically; there is no denying the seriousness of his teaching and it does tie-in with what was said by the author of Hebrews (see post).  But, rather than it being interpreted negatively, could it be that Jesus is giving us a motivation to listen beyond the surface of what we hear?  Could it be that he is encouraging us to dig more deeply into the content of what he is saying?

Just before Jesus tells us to consider carefully what we hear, he tells us that everything that has been hidden is meant to be disclosed and whatever is concealed is to be brought out into the light (Mk 4.22).

While we have a responsibility to obey and live up to what Jesus has commanded and instructed, the other side of the coin is that we have a responsibility to uncover the truths he has hidden within his words for us to find.

This sounds remarkably like what the Father said, “The secret things belong to God but the things revealed belong to man” (Dt 29.29) and “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of kings to search out a matter” (Pr 25.2).

This perspective completely changes my understanding of Jesus’ original statement.  If we consider carefully, using the measure we’ve been given in order to search for the secrets that have been hidden for us to discover, then more will be added to us.  If we don’t consider carefully what we’ve heard, then we are not likely to search out the deeper secrets.  In this case, it’s as if we have considered the message of no value, because we have not combined it with faith.

Consider carefully what you hear.  Yes, it sounds weighty; but it also provides a clue to treasures buried within his words.