A Good Word

by Dorothy Teague

Have you ever heard the saying, “You have one mouth and two ears, so God meant for you to speak less and listen more?” Teachers can often be heard giving this sage advice when students get too noisy and aren’t listening. This actually aligns with God’s Word. In Matthew 11:15, God says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” In other words, Listen, I’m about to tell you something important! However, we can’t have ears to hear if we aren’t spiritually attuned to His voice and our hearts aren’t prepared to receive the “word” He has for us. We are to meet with Him daily in prayer, then wait expectantly for Him to move and do His will for our lives (Psalm 5:3). He already knows what we stand in need of—He just wants us to ask Him and then stand in faith that He will supply what we need. Isaiah 55:2-3 gives us steps to follow: Listen diligently to me. Incline your ear and come to me. Hear, that your soul may live. So, we are to actively hear the word, listen with spiritual ears, and then act in obedience, doing what He says for us to do.

It’s not only important for us to hear what God wants for our own lives, but it is our obligation to pass the good word on to others to help them. Isaiah 50:4 says we should “speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (And aren’t we all weary?) Some days I have prayed specifically for God to give me a “good word” for someone in particular, and in His timing, He has been faithful to send me that word. But I have found that it’s more important that my heart is prepared at any time to receive a word to impart to someone else. We don’t know what others are going through, but God sees it all. In His divine timing, He brings us together with others to comfort and lift each other up. Proverbs 15:23 reminds us that, “A man takes joy in a fitting reply and how good is a timely word.” We are all plagued with being anxious over the state of our lives at times. Proverbs 12:25 tells us that “anxiety weighs down the heart of man, but a good word cheers it up.”

There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can hear the scriptures being preached but then walk away and not act upon them. But, if our hearts are in a position of listening for God’s voice to speak, then that seed can be planted in us and we can respond to His call to action: “He who has ears, let him hear.”

About The Author

Dorothy Teague is a Tennessee native, who resides in McMinn County with her husband, Lewis, on their farm. After completing 31.5 years as a teacher in the Bradley County School System, she is active in her church at Eastanallee Baptist Church where she is a member of the choir and praise team.