Here -- and there -- sitting on a park bench, in a street car, a quiet building, or walking along a busy thoroughfare, or lonely street, a smile can be given, a word passed, or a little nod of appreciation communicated without a word. Invisible rays of living glory, sent out on a kindly thought of infinite love can fortify another with renewed courage and greater power.
Or sometimes it is that a little forgotten soul may pour out his, or her, heart from sheer empty loneliness. Blessed is he who is called to listen to their tales with an understanding heart, for sometimes it is that such unburden themselves to make room for light and love. Often just the call to sit quietly and listen may be the power of bestowing the most divine benediction of all. The gift of listening with an understanding heart is a divine gift which so few have developed.
Little clubs gather over the face of the earth so that each member may again listen to himself tell over again the tales he knows, the things he has experienced or something lived by a friend. Often all talk at once and each is listening only to his own voice, his own words, his own little story which he has heard himself tell many times before. Yet he alone is most interested in it though he knows every word it contains, and the ending of it. And he alone is truly disturbed if he is interrupted in the telling. These things but manifest the lack of truest culture, the art of listening -- listening not with the ears only, but with the heart.
This great inner listening does not mean to give ear to idle chatter, to hear only one's own words or waste the energies upon bankrupt minds. This great inner listening eliminates speedily all surface chatter. It develops in each the ability to judge not only the worth of others' conversation, but his own as well. It reveals the value of worthlessness of his own speech, the power or lack of power his words convey and the very depths of his own thoughts.
When the art of listening is cultivated, then it is, that words become sacred, and one's spoken word begins to go forth endowed with divine meaning. They need not be shouted to give them force. Neither need they to be propped up with oaths or flowery phrases to make them emphatic and to clothe them with power and great emphasis. For such a one his "Aye" will mean "aye" and his "nay" will mean "nay". And there will need to be no profane emphasis to substantiate his remarks. None will doubt his words. The world itself will feel the impact of his speech and give an ear unto his message.
It is the listening heart that is so much needed among men. It is the listening heart that is prepared for the full outpouring of the gift of light. It is the listening heart alone that can hear the voice of God.
Listen with your heart and your own speech will become sacred and never again will you trespass upon the patience of your fellowmen by imposing upon them the boredom of your deadly dullness.
This great gift of listening does not mean to give ear to "old-wives tales", empty chatter, degrading thoughts, belittling words against one's fellow man. It does not mean to waste time upon the vainglorious achievements of someone's past, displayed in wordy pride and self-adulation. It does not mean to give ear to malicious, evil tales, nor to burden oneself with the whining self-pity of some morbid mind. This listening means to learn to hear with the heart, that from the heart of the listener may pour out the light and love of infinite healing and compassion.
This gift of listening is very sacred, and sometimes more useful than the gift of speech.
It is this gift of attentive listening that develops one's "ears to hear." These ears that must learn to hear are the ones deep within the soul. It is first only the power of learning to "feel." This power to feel or listen, develops also deep understanding. While the divine gift of understanding opens the fountains of mercy and compassion, which hold the keys of forgiveness and unspeakable love.
It is this gift of deep listening that one has to develop in order to become a member and be of service in the greater work. The very power to listen holds the keys of divine service, for service is given according to the needs of mankind, the urgency of the occasion and the desires in men's souls. As it is true that the greatest sermons are not always preached in words, so it is true that the greatest needs, the most earnest desires are not always put into uttered prayers. If God never listened what hope would there be for mankind, ever? If the great, noble ones did not listen what possible service could they render, and if man cannot learn to listen how can he possibly be taught by God. Those who do too much preaching, too much teaching, too much talking can never be taught and they will remain in their kindergarten state or grade of existence.
Jeremiah expresses it so beautifully as the following words reveal: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord."
Or as John so lovingly expresses it: "But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in it." (I John 2:27).
Or as Christ so perfectly revealed it: "It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." (John 6:45).
It is this inner ability to be taught of God that is meant by "the ears to hear" given so many times in scripture. The seven seals spoken of in Revelation, chapter five, which only Christ could remove, are the symbolical seals in man's own nature, which only the Light of Christ can release. They are the seals that are placed upon man by his own great wickedness, his sealed ears, that hear not; his sealed eyes, that see not; his sealed mind, that thinks not, seeks not, nor opens to truth; his sealed heart that expands not, but has become barren and hard and unproductive; his sealed soul that has shut out light; and the seals of his own pride and bigotry, woven of self-seeking and greed.
These seals can only be removed as the light of Christ is permitted to penetrate into the individual and reveal the divine record or rhythm of eternal truth contained within his soul.
Usually the ears that learn to listen open up the way for other of the seals to be removed also. Any one seal removed prepares the way for the removal of others so that eventually all can be cast aside and the great veil of unbelief can be torn asunder.
These seals, as they are removed, reveal glory upon glory, power upon power, realm upon realm, until the very throne of God stands revealed. These seals are upon every man in a more or less binding degree. This great outpouring divine light that is increasing in intensity to reveal all things deep in the hearts of men, will also open the seals within man and bestow all powers if man will only permit it. Man alone makes his choice, judging as worthy or unworthy to receive.