Ben Fourie

“Pay attention to what you hear!” and “Those who have something will be given more, and those who have nothing will have taken away from them even the little they have.”

Mark 4:24-25

The above verses are probably two of the most misquoted and misunderstood verses in the Bible. In the previous chapter, Jesus started using parables to make the story of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God better understood. We must remember that these parables were not only meant for the disciples, but are means whereby his Word could be passed on. That is why Jesus admonished them to pay attention to what they hear, as they would be the ones to carry his message into the world.

He takes the example of a lamp, as everybody knows what a lamp looks like and to what purpose a lamp is used. A lamp He says is not to be put under a bed or hidden under a bowl but should be put on a lampstand from where it can illuminate the whole room. A lamp is really only useful when it can bring light into a dark place so that “…whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open.” Jesus was sent to the world so that everybody could know about God and about what God can do. As this message is about God and his Kingdom, there is no room for error. Therefore everyone who wants to be a vehicle for His Word must listen very carefully so that they will transmit the Word in its purest form.

In verse 24 he explains it further by saying that God will judge us by the same rules that we use to judge others. It means that to the extent that we have accepted his message we will receive wisdom to bring it to others. It is a logic that applies everywhere. The student or learner that works hard will have more knowledge than the lazy one and the person who is hardworking will probably have a better income than one who is not dedicated to the job. It is even more important at a spiritual level as those who have something (spiritual maturity), will be blessed with even more wisdom while those who, through their own neglect, have little spirituality, will have no spiritual growth. The more you start spreading the light of the Gospel, the richer your own spiritual growth will be.

Prayer: Lord you have endowed me with the gift of sharing your Gospel. Please forgive me for letting opportunities to spread the Gospel to others, slip through my fingers so often. Amen