A man and his Native American friend visited New York City for the first time. They took a bus into the city and stepped out onto a bustling sidewalk. The man looked around at all of the people, traffic, ads, and the cacophony of life zooming around them. His Native American friend stood next to him and said, “I hear a cricket.” The man turned to him in bewilderment and said, “What?! There is no way you could hear a cricket in all of this,” as he gestured to the world surrounding them. The friend closed his eyes for a moment, then looked to his left and walked to a bush lining the sidewalk. With quick hands, he reached in and grabbed a small cricket. Amazed, the man asked, “You must have some super-human ears. The noise was so small compared to the cars and people and booming music coming out of the shops.” The friend replied “It has nothing to do with my ears. Anyone can hear even the smallest noises if they are listening for it. See?” The Native American man reached into his pocket, pulled out a small handful of coins which he dropped onto the sidewalk. As soon as the first coins hit the ground making a small, metallic clinking, dozens of heads from up and down the sidewalk turned to see where the money was rolling across the concrete.
Jesus said that “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt 13:44). The kingdom of heaven is for people who are seeking it. It is hidden among a busy, noisy world. It is something that we must be intentionally looking and listening for. Our adversary, the devil, will make sure that there is plenty going on to distract us from ‘still, small voice’ of God. We will not find it unless we are intentionally searching for it.
Today, hone your ears to listen for God.