Help
Them Hear!
Consequently, faith comes by
hearing…the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
Paul had been blinded in an industrial
accident many years before but refused to allow the blindness to
limit him. He was frequently seen walking around town without the aid
of a companion-dog or mobility cane. He’d taught himself to
navigate the downtown corridors by using his acute hearing; he knew
where he was by listening to the echoes.
While standing at an intersection,
waiting for the light to change, a bystander watched as Paul stepped
off the curb the moment the light changed. Dumbfounded, the man
watched Paul walk across the street and into the corner drugstore
without a single misstep. Amazed, he decided to ask Paul how he did
it. He entered the store to find Paul standing at the counter,
handing the clerk his shopping list. As the clerk went to fill the
order, the man spoke, “Excuse me,” he began. “My name is Mark
Goddard.”
“How do you do, Mark?” Paul said,
extending his hand.
“I’m fine,” he answered, shaking
Paul’s hand. “I watched you on the corner a minute ago, and I’m
amazed at how you knew when the light changed. How did you
know?” he asked in wonder.
Paul’s smile was as bright as his
outlook. “I heard it change, Mark. The loss of my sight has
heightened my hearing,” he said, then suggested, “Mark, the next
time you’re downtown and traffic is light, listen for the little
chunk the stoplight makes. You’d be amazed at what you hear
when you really listen.”
†
Mark observed Paul and was led to ask
probing questions, questions that gave Paul the opportunity to share
the reason for his ability to confidently navigate life in the midst
of adversity.
There are many who have never heard the
message of the gospel due to the white-noise of the world. And
because of their spiritual deafness they will die, never having
understood that Jesus came so they might live.
As Christians, we should live in such a
way as to help them hear the love of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
“Help me live a life
that speaks of Your love and forgiveness, Lord Jesus. Make me a book
for others to read, and a voice for those who have lost their
spiritual sight. Amen.”
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