Guest post by Jeanne Ritari

Imagine several people in a neighborhood relaxing in their homes on a summer
morning. Through their open windows, they each hear a garbage truck coming down the
street.

One thinks, “That’s the neighbor’s trash pickup; today is Tuesday, and my service
comes on Wednesday.” Another thinks, “Good thing I took the trash to the curb last
night.” A third leaps up and rushes their trash can to the curb.

The Hebrew word often translated as “hear” doesn’t just mean physically perceiving a
sound. The closest equivalent in English would be something like “hear and respond
appropriately.” In the garbage truck illustration, the appropriate response depends on
the circumstances of the person who hears.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read or heard a challenging passage of Scripture
and thought to myself, “My neighbor should listen to this,” or, “I already did my part.”
What I am learning to do instead is to ask Jesus what he wants me to know about the
passage. He usually responds by showing me that I still have some trash to take
out—and then offering to take it out for me.

What a Savior he is!