“The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” (Pr 20:12 AV)
Hearing and eyesight are the primary senses by which we observe and learn. How we choose to use them matters. Solomon prefaces the above proverb by stating that a child is known by what he leaves in his wake. In other words, maturity cannot be hid. It is known by what maturity produces, or fails to produce. If we are known by what we manifest, what we are is determined by what we take in. What is shown on the outside is a reflection of what is on the inside. What is on the inside is produced and influenced by what is allowed from the outside. What we take in must be filtered through the truth that God has made the means by which we consume, and it is to Him whom we are accountable.
It is interesting what happens when one begins to lose their eyesight or hearing. For me, it is both. I have worn glasses for the vast majority of my life. Having suffered several childhood head injuries, eyeglasses were a part of my life from age seven or eight until this present day. At one point, I was so dependent on eyeglasses that it was considered legal blindness. Over the years, it has greatly improved. But I will never know what it is like to see with normal eyesight. Now, my hearing is beginning to fail. The LORD has been very good to me and provided hearing aids. They are a decent pair, and it is astounding how much I was missing. I bought a hearing aid dryer and now I can deep clean them every other day. What a difference! The interesting thing is, when you begin to lose these faculties, you begin to be a lot more discerning on how you use them. Knowing that you might lose them for good, picking what one consumes becomes a much more thoughtful practice. I would rather listen to the birds sing or the rustle of leaves than music played from a loudspeaker. I would much rather read a good book than watch a movie. Losing one's abilities makes me appreciate what is left.
God has given the ability to consume our world and learn from it. Sometimes it is used for enjoyment. There is nothing wrong with biblically acceptable pleasures. I, for one, am grateful God gave hearing and eyesight by which we can interact with His creation. This is not intended as a rebuke on how we used our ears and eyes, but rather, to appreciate the ability to do so. To enjoy a sunset or the faces of my grandchildren is a wonder to behold. To hear a saintly chorus with perfect pitch voices as they glorify the Creator is a blessing. To see the heart of a child of God break for the perfect will of God is more than one deserves. To be part of God’s creation rather than merely in it is something for which we should be eternally grateful. There is much beauty from the hand of God that surrounds us, and He has given the means by which we can take it all in.
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