Flee youthful lusts (2 Tim 2:22) Pt. 2

The Ears - Oh be careful little ears what you hear... Fallen man has become the master of selective hearing. We listen when we shouldn't and we ignore what we need to hear. There's an old joke about a young boy who thought his grandpa must be upside down because his nose runs and his feet smell. When is it time for our ears to run away? When is it time for our ears to flee youthful lusts? When do your ears become portals of temptation? There are two ways our ears sin. First, when we need to listen but we don't and second, when we shouldn't listen but we do. Let's first consider when we need to listen but do not. "Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!" (Ps 81:8) God's people have always had a problem with not listening. The wise father will say to his sons... "...sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth" (Pro 7:24). Ignorance is not bliss, it is rebellion. We have a duty to be attentive. We are obligated to listen. We can't ignore the truth and then use ignorance as our defense. If we don't know it's because we don't want to know. If we don't hear it's because we don't want to hear. Covering your ears will never cover your guilt. As much as we love to ignore the truth, though, I think we love to hear what we shouldn't hear even more. We love to listen to gossip. Our ears tune in to every whisper. Will rogers said: “The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.” Pro 20:19 says, "Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler." Do not associate with a gossip. Get away from them; don't listen to their gossip. Flee youthful lusts aimed at your ears. Besides, if they are talking to you about someone they will talk to others about you. One popular way of lusting with your ears is to listen to music you shouldn't. Morally depraved and corrupt lyrics fill the airwaves. One way to flee youthful lusts is to turn off the radio or get out of that store playing the music. Another problem, in this area, is hanging around foul and filthy mouthed friends. Again, as Paul says, "Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Cor 15:33) If you have friends with filthy mouths you will have filthy ears. If you have filthy ears you have a filthy heart and will not be able to see God. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt 5:8) In other words, if you want to listen to the world you will not be able to listen to God. Take your ears and run!