Hearing It Wrong

I remember when my oldest daughter came home from school one day.
She was probably in third grade.
Her sister would have been in first grade.
My oldest daughter came home and announced that she had to give a report.

The teacher was trying to get the children used to talking in front of others.
Each student was given a topic.
They were to practice the research skills they were learning and write a report on their topic.
That three minute report was to be given in front of the class.

My daughter was given her topic: fossils.
She came home very excited about her topic.
She was also a bit nervous about giving her report in front of the class.
Her sister looked at her with a confused look on her face.

Her sister interrupted her as she was beginning to explain the directions.
How are you going to do it? My younger daughter said to her sister.
How I am going to do what? My oldest daughter questioned.
How are you going to talk for three minutes about the holes in your nose?

I tried so hard not to laugh.
I tried to be quite adult about it and correct her word usage ever so gently.
However, the sheer innocence of her question caught me off guard.
I couldn’t help it; I laughed so hard.

My oldest daughter laughed as well.
I assured my little girl we were not laughing at her but with her.
Sometimes one word sounds like another, I said explaining the word, fossil.
Sometimes we misunderstand, I told her.

Fossils.
Nostrils.
The confusion could easily happen, especially if you’re six years old.
Especially then.

My oldest girls went to the same college, the college where their younger sister is now going.
They had their own friends but had mutual friends as well.
One of their friends decided to have a game night.
A trivia type game was decided upon.

My daughters were on the same team.
Everyone thought that they would have an unfair advantage since they were family.
Everyone thought that they would think too much alike and probably win.
Little did they know.

One of the categories was literature.
My oldest daughter, who is now a web designer, was an English major in college.
Everyone groaned thinking that having this category, they would be hard to beat.
The questions began.

My younger daughter read the question to her sister.
What was the name of the man who slept over twenty years?
Again, there were groans in the room since this question was a gift to an English major.
My oldest daughter quickly answered, Ichabod Crane.

Now the groan was heard from my youngest daughter.
Ichabod Crane? He is from, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow!
Laughter filled the room.
The team to beat, the sure thing, was not a sure thing at all.

I saw a young family at church.
They have a precious little boy and just had their second son.
I had the privilege of making a meal for them.
I always enjoy picking out just the right baby gift for the new little one.

I remember when I had my second daughter and meals were brought to the house.
One person kindly brought a “big sister” present for my oldest daughter.
The sweet, older woman made a fuss over my oldest daughter before looking at the baby.
I never forgot her kindness.

I have tried to do the same thing.

When I brought the meal to this sweet family, I had a gift for the big brother.
I found two toddler, monster trucks that were perfect for his little hands.
I made a fuss over the big brother before I ever even held the new baby.
The big brother loved his monster trucks, while his mom and I enjoyed our visit.

As I was leaving church, I was talking to this young family.
I saw the big brother who seemed to remember me.
He connects the monster trucks to me, which is a good thing.
His mom told me about what happened when I left.

As I was going to my car, she had the baby in her arms.
Her older son was playing with his monster trucks.
Say goodbye to Mrs. Gallagher, she said sweetly.
I heard the trucks zooming along and his little voice as well.

Apparently, he did say goodbye over the zooming sound of his trucks.
Bye, Mrs. Alligator.
Fossils and nostrils.
Gallagher and alligator.

Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; thy hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. (Matthew 13:13-16)

Fossils and nostrils are one thing.
Gallagher and alligator are another.
It is okay if we get those words wrong.
However, it is not okay if we get God’s Word wrong.

It is not okay when we hear God’s Word incorrectly.
It is not okay when we hear God’s Word but do not understand it.
It is not okay when we see God’s Truth but close our eyes to it.
It is not okay.

Our eyes and ears need to be opened by the Holy Spirit.
We have to be given the faith to believe and to understand.
On our own, we will get it wrong.
On our own we will misinterpret it.

We need clarity.
We need the Spirit’s help to guide us in all Truth.
It matters.
The truth of the Gospel is too important to misunderstand.

Getting words confused as a toddler or young child can be cute.
Getting God’s Word wrong can be the difference between life or death.
Getting God’s Word wrong can be the difference between being lost or found.
Getting God’s Word wrong can be the difference between heaven or hell.

Being found in Christ and having His Spirit guiding us in all Truth is vital.
Without the Holy Spirit, we will get God’s Word wrong.
God’s Word is Truth.
That is something we must get right.