In this chapter, there are two points that Jeremiah brings first: that the people have ears but don’t hear, and that they refuse to hear. Often, we would be tempted to say that these are the same things, and often they are. However, I have noticed in my life that there are people who hear a truth and reject it, but there are also people who may hear something with their ears, but something in their minds prevents them from seeing the application. It’s like the gossip that hears a message on talebearing and wishes that the hairdresser were there to hear the message. The person has ears, but they don’t hear. This inability is more frequent than we want to believe. It is the mind’s defense or the ego’s defense against having to face uncomfortable truths. This is part of the reason that the Bible warns us that we can’t trust our own hearts. It is the reason we need to submit to God and one another. Without someone or something pointing out our failings, we might not see them. What we need as Christians is to have ears that are willing to hear, even or perhaps especially when it is uncomfortable.
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