PLEASE PRAY FOR MY HEARING

 

I was thinking this morning.... While growing up in Warri those days, pidgin English was our forte, while Yankee accent was a struggle to understand. There was this TV commercial on a food product that split my siblings and I in two ways because we couldn't agree on a word which the commercial actor was pronouncing. After listening to the advert severally, some of us insisted she said 'okro' while others heard 'pepper.' When we couldn't agree, we decided to combine both positions and take it that she said 'pekro.' Lol..

I recalled that incident when I read a story of how an evangelist at the end of a revival service invited people to come forward if they wanted someone to pray for them. About midway through the line of people stood an imposing, intimidating looking man. When the minister asked about his prayer request, the burly guy said, “Reverend, I need you to pray for my hearing.” The evangelist quickly placed his hands over the man’s ears and prayed fervently for restored hearing. When the minister finished praying, he looked the man squarely in the eyes and shouted above the choir’s strong singing, “How’s your hearing now?” The man loudly replied, “I don’t know yet, Preacher. My hearing ain’t until next Wednesday at the courthouse.” oops!

While the man wanted prayer for his Court hearing, the man of God thought it was for his ear. Truth is, poor hearing is at the root of many a disagreement and wars in families, groups and nations today.

Many have ears but do not hear. Some can hear but when you speak, they chose what they want to hear and misinterprete the others, leading to friction and acrimony. When someone says something, seek to understand because our interpretations are coloured by assumptions and biases. We should not be cognitive misers who don’t think and reflect before judging others.

If you have had serious disagreement with your spouse or colleague based on what one person said, then you should be saying 'Please pray for my hearing.' If you are quick to misunderstand what someone has said, then declare 'Please pray for my hearing.' Matthew 11:15 says 'He who has ears, let him hear.'

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey