Mickey Mouse Ears

Mickey Mouse Ears?

When I first heard it, I chuckled. It seemed silly. But it worked. The image created in my thinking stuck with me and so thirty plus years later, I’m still using the phrase. “Put your Mickey Mouse ears on!” It is a bit cheesy; I know. But it creates the right imagery. We need big ears to listen, so we hear correctly.

I remember hearing a story of a couple married for over seventy years. In their early nineties, their hearing wasn’t as sharp as in earlier years. Sitting on rocking chairs and gazing into their front yard, the old man looked at his bride and said,

“Honey, I’m mighty proud of you!”

Not quite hearing him, she asked, “Huh? What?”

 “I say, I’m mighty proud of you!”

 “Huh? What’d ya say?”

 “I said, I’m mighty proud of you!”

 Emphatically, she replied, “Well, I’m mighty tired of you, too!”

How Important Is Hearing?

I still laugh every time I hear or tell that one. But I know that too often we all mishear and sometimes our mishearing gets us into real trouble.  Look at the importance Jesus gave to listening, “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”[Luke 8:18 NLT] Wow! The way we hear determines everything!

Hearing, maybe the most vital faculty. Scripture shows that we are saved by what we believe in our heart and what we say with our mouth, but if we can’t hear the truth, we can’t know what to believe and say. [See Romans 10:8-10,14] If salvation depends on hearing, then everything of importance in life is connected to our hearing. Do you see the importance of developing our Mickey Mouse ears? These are ears that can hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church; ears that are sensitive to the voice of the Lord and able to discern his desire.

God is looking for sons and daughters who don’t need to be yelled at to get their attention. Only the impaired or the immature need consistent yelling to keep their attention. The Lord is calling for you and me to be people whose spiritual hearing is healed and trained to His voice. Our life depends on it.

The Source is His Word!

Jesus taught that joy doesn’t come from circumstances, feelings, or the latest praise and worship song. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”[John 15:11] He went on to teach that peace doesn’t come from medicine, beautiful scenery, or instrumental music. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33]

His word is life! We must believe it, talk it and practice it! But first, we must learn to hear!

James said it this way, “Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense, and to get angry.” [James 1:19] In his infinite wisdom, God gave us two ears to hear with and only one mouth with which to speak. Sadly many people seem to live with two mouths and one tiny ear.

While the key to our success in every area of life is a developed sense of hearing, remember, Jesus said, “…To those who listen to my teaching…” [Luke 8:18] The word of God must be the first priority and final authority in our lives. Our success is tied to our confident belief in the words of the Lord. Joshua’s success depended on his declaration of the words of God and his consistent, persistent meditation on the word. The same is true for us. We must learn to hear – really hear what God is saying! Spiritual Mickey Mouse ears is a requirement

How Do We Develop Our Mickey Mouse Ears?

Here are three keys to becoming a person with developed spiritual ears:

 

1. By design!

   It doesn’t happen on accident. It requires intentionality! The man of wisdom said it this way, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.”[Proverbs 4:20] Those who recline when it comes to the teaching and preaching of God’s word will never develop their spiritual hearing. Become the kind of person who listens on purpose. No one has to yell at you to get your attention. You are on the edge of your seat, leaning forward to make sure you don’t miss anything. What enable Job to see such a remarkable turnaround? He lost it all; children, wealth, and his health. But in the end, he got double for his trouble! How? Listen to what he said, “…I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” [Job 23:12]

 

2. By discipline!

   We must tune out so we can tune in! You can’t listen to every voice in this noisy world and hope to hear God. You must make a choice to listen to Him but not only to listen to His word but discipline yourself to do it! A lot of people “hear,” but they are not listening intelligently, so they never obey. They don’t follow through. James called them forgetful hearers who deceive themselves. [See James 1:22] Jesus used the story of two builders to illustrate what happens if we don’t discipline ourselves to follow through with His instruction. He says the wise build on the rock and the foolish build on the sand. The same storm comes to both houses, but the one who disciplined themselves to build right – survives. The one who took the short cuts and did it the way they thought best – perishes. The choice isn’t God’s; it’s ours! Through the discipline of obedience, we will survive and even thrive through the storms that we encounter.

 

3. By delight!

   When we, by design, learn to listen intelligently as a disciplined hearer,  duty becomes a delight, and the very desires of our hearts manifest as our reality! This is a beautiful place that fuels our progress and strengthens us in our disciplines. Psalm 37: 4 reads, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 1:2says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night.” Then John records these fantastic words from the lips of Jesus, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” [John 15:7] Did you catch it? You will ask whatever you will! Wow! You’ll get what you desire!

When we learn to abide in Him and allow His words to abide in us, life will never be the same! What we pray becomes a reality! But this kind of living isn’t possible until we learn to pay attention and listen! So, get your Mickey Mouse ears on and leave them on! If you will, life is about to get really, really good for you and all who connect with you!

 

*Click the link below to dive deeper into this subject and while you are there SUBSCRIBE to our channel for more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAtXwiX5Z7c