Teach Your Ear What To Hear

A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it.

Michelangelo

Not every voice you hear in your ear is sincere.

Just for fun, I recently rabbit-trailed through research discussing the roles and interactions between parts of the human brain. The right amygdala drew my amateur attention. This small, almond-shaped cluster (nick-named, “threat detector”) stores and interprets our response to negative emotions, especially fear.

Over time, bitter memories can build an automatic “conditioned” reaction. Those people, their ideas, these circumstances pose a threat, which I must fear, attack or avoid. Even innocent remarks or actions can trigger deep, painful memories, and the right amygdala “hijacks” the rest of the brain. Rational thought, impulse control, and empathy are drowned in visceral emotion.

And someone with a cell phone is sure to record the behavior that follows….

So, what’s the answer? How do we calm our poor amygdala down, so wisdom can have its say?
Hear, our eighth verb in our series, An Alphabet of Life, addresses the important question, “To whose voice do you tune your ear?”

Selective hearing

Jesus often addressed his teaching to those “who have ears to hear.” Why? Because, most of us don’t!

The Greek word, akoueto, “to attend, consider, understand, learn, comprehend, perceive,” suggests a deliberate attention to the deeper, quieter music beneath all the clamor. The Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15) describes three types of ears guaranteed to stay deaf and unfruitful, in contrast to the more attentive ear that will hear.

1. The hardened ear…

…hears only a worn-out loop of inner complaint, and any impulse to humbly listen gets vigorously swept away.

“The seed on the path are those who hear; but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts, so that they won’t believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12)

To Ponder: As a teacher, every afternoon i would scrub away the day’s chalky effort, leaving a clean, blank slate for the morning. Now, too often I scribble layers of outraged defenses all over my thought life, and leave no space for God to write, or for others to change their answers.

To Do: A clean slate, every day, for every person.

2. The rootless ear…

…tunes to the empty promise of a safe and predictable world. But the shallow soil of the “easy life” will fail us when calamity comes.

“The seed on the rock are those who receive the word joyfully when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while but fall away when they are tempted” (Luke 8:13).

To Ponder: The growth of an acorn sprout is invisible, as the young oak first sends taproot deep underground, in search of reliable moisture. Later, the roots spread far and wide, to deliver nutrients and water to the tree towering calmly above. Unlike a tree, I am too often concerned with the look of my foliage, neglecting the more hidden work of deepening my roots in God’s love.

To Do: Let God nourish and ground my identity, not the fickle opinion of others.

3. The distracted ear…

…is unable to focus on the only melody that matters. So, the fruit of wisdom, resilience, and generosity shrivel and die, untasted.

“As for what fell among thorny plants, these are the ones who, as they go about their lives, are choked by the concerns, riches, and pleasures of life, and their fruit never matures” (Luke 8:14).

To Ponder: The trilling, hooting instrumental racket ceases when the conductor walks on stage. A hush falls over the room. The strings lift their bows, wind players look up, and the audience holds a collective breath.

Why? Because, the sound we hear when musicians watch the baton and play their true part is art. Everything else is just noise.

To Do: Make time for silence and solitude–listening to God–until my notes are in harmony with others.

4. But, the hold-fast heart…

…will bear fruit, both beautiful and good,

“The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in a beautiful and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance” (Luke 8:15).

Able to hear

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) interacts with the right amygdala and, (when allowed), rescues our overwhelmed brains. The ACC promotes stability, understanding, and empathy for others, as well as tolerance for uncertainty and conflict.

And how, according to the experts, can we help the ACC do its job?

Meditation.

And the Bible agrees. The daily practice of biblical meditation tunes our minds and hearts to the voice of God.

The humble can hear, 
the rooted, persevere 
and always see clear,  
what is dear.
When we hum along
to his healing song
and learn by heart
our part,
a new score--
his encore--
will restore,
the stone-deaf ear,
and calm every fear,
And we will all hear
him again. 
Amen.

Thank you for joining us here! You can subscribe to this series by scrolling to the very bottom of this blog. Next time in An Alphabet of Life: Wisdom Learned in the Verbs: I is for Imitate.