Several times in Jesus’ life, the gospels record that during or after speaking to people, Jesus would say, “He who has ears, let him hear!” That’s a strange saying to most of us—we don’t use that phrase in everyday parlance. One translation makes this phrase more understandable: “The one who has ears had better listen!” We can probably remember times in our youth (or maybe even adult life) when a parent, teacher, or someone else had to get our attention and say, “Listen up!”
Some advice, instructions, and words are too important to miss. Maybe a parent has some chores that must be completed; perhaps a teacher is giving information that will be critical come test time; or maybe a doctor is giving advice that could save our lives. It’s not enough to hear—we must listen and understand. And this is especially true of Jesus’ words. Listen to them intently, ponder them, and obey them. When Jesus speaks, listen up!