Otherwise

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “This is why I speak to them in parables: this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:10, 13, 15, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Calloused. Skin (in this case the heart) that is thickened and rough from rubbing against something (in this case the truth). A person can only rub up against and reject the truth so much before the heart becomes calloused, insensitive, and unresponsive to it. They become unable to see the truth that otherwise is plain to see or hear the truth that otherwise is clearly understandable.

My Advice – “I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:17, NIV 1984). The only thing they saw and heard was a promise. A coming hope. Yet, like “Abram [they] believed the Lord, and He credited it to [them] as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6, NIV 1984).

How can we, who have seen the promise fulfilled and the hope realized, possibly not “understand with [our] hearts and turn?” Callousness. Each time we refuse to respond the vision grows a bit dimmer and the hearing becomes a little duller. Let’s not allow ourselves to become totally blind and deaf to the truth.