How are your ears? This is not a frivolous question… how do you hear? This is as much a ‘how’ as it is a ‘what’ question. But when it comes to the written word, your ‘how’ takes on even greater importance. First you need to recognize that we all do hear the written word as much as the spoken word. We hear the (written) words spoken in our minds, but this is as audible as any words that are actually spoken out loud.
Typically what happens is that we listen based on our experience with the writer, which may or may not have anything to do with the writer’s intended ‘communication’. We speak and listen from our own frame of reference and rarely give much thought to the fact that ours may not be the other person’s. It is understandable but we also need to keep a mindset that the frame of reference is a significant impact. Then you add any personal involvement to the mix and sometimes it’s a wonder that we are on the same page of the same ‘book’.
There’s a scripture, in both the New and Old Testaments, that has always captured me – Matthew 13:14 “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand…” How often that really marks the communication (or lack). When you add the written and not spoken word, the ‘opportunity’ for misunderstanding is enormous. For communication to occur you really have to be engaged and involved… but mostly you have to know you are speaking the same language. This will require, often, asking the other person to define their words.
Whether reading or listening, how and what you hear is critical for communication – and for understanding. Mark 4:24 cautions us that we need to take heed what we hear. It’s ‘our’ responsibility. We choose how we hear, we choose what we hear – we choose to make certain we understand – regardless of whether or not we agree. Agreement, or not, can only occur after there is communication.
…but, what do you think? what do you believe?
