Devotion: Pooh Bear is Dead?

Luke 8:8b...He that hath ears to hear, let Him hear.

At the dinner table we were laughing about an incident that took place in our community some time ago where the police were chasing a bear and there were some residents in the area that were growing illegal marijuana. In an effort to get rid of the evidence they started uprooting the weed and tossing it over the fence only to hit a policeman in the head with it. They were arrested. The bear was caught, but because they did not have a crate to contain him so they could move him away from the area, was killed.

Oh, the joys of getting older! Well, conversation moved on but my brain did not. I heard my son say something about a pooh bear being killed and I said, "What's a pooh bear?!" The whole family went into fits of laughter. My husband had said something about there being a cougar found wondering the streets of Spokane and my son asked if they killed the cougar. But my ears heard, "pooh bear". Well, I am glad I can be such a source of entertainment to my family, but this illustrates a point.

Communication is so important! Miscommunication can be either uproariously funny or tragic. When we communicate the Gospel to others we must communicate it clearly. The Apostle Paul is a good example of this. Listen to what he says,

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any many should boast.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

On the other side of the coin, those listening to the Gospel are responsible to listen and hear it. Jesus talks about the sower and the seed in Luke 8. He says in verse 8, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Good communication requires clarity, but it also requires hearers who listen and respond. How is your communication today?