know

   A Swiss guy, looking for directions, pulls up at a bus stop where two Americans are waiting.

     "Entschuldigung, koennen Sie Deutsch sprechen?" he says.  The two Americans just stare at him.

     "Excusez-moi, parlez vous Francais?"  The two continue to stare.

     "Parlare Italiano?"  No response.

     "Hablan ustedes Espanol?"  Still nothing.

     The Swiss guy drives off, extremely disgusted.

     The first American turns to the second and says, "Y'know, maybe we should learn a foreign language...."

     "Why?" says the other, "That fellow knew four languages, and it didn't do him any good."

It's true.  Knowing a lot of languages is no guarantee that you can communicate with someone (though it may increase your chances!).  Even Jesus, the great communicator, found that there were people who couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand...." (Matthew 13:13)

Why?  It wasn't a problem of languages; it was a problem of the heart.

"For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." (Matthew 13:15)

Father, there are times when I am so slow to understand what you would have me to say and do.  Though you speak clearly to me through your Word, my heart is not always receptive to what you have to say.  Please help me to open my eyes and ears, and to get rid of everything that stands in the way of me hearing your voice.  In Jesus' name, amen.

-alan smith