Naked Ears
A couple of weeks ago I was getting dressed. I cannot recall if I had plans to leave the house. Every since I began working remotely occasionally the days will blend together. I don’t necessarily dress like I did when I traveled to campus daily the same at home, but I do my best to not appear as though I’m binging my favorite show either. This particular morning, as I gathered my clothes, the Holy Spirit instructed me to get my earrings. I heard it, but didn’t assume the few steps from the closet to my jewelry armoire. As I began getting dressed, the Holy Spirit instructed me again to get my earrings. Too busy in my mind to stop I ignored the instruction for the second time. Once I finished dressing, I went downstairs to the office, logged into a zoom and pitied my naked ears presenting as obvious as possible. I sighed. While earrings are certainly not a requirement as to my work uniform, I love them and appreciate the diversity of expression as I sit and stare, “waist up.” Of course, forgetting or neglecting to wear a pair of earrings couldn’t be simple for me. I witnessed this small yet deliberate disobedience as an opportunity to get gathered by God. If I am to move in all the ways I’ve heard and requested, my ears require to be naked before Him, unto Him and positioned to move and act as He deems, without question or hesitation.
I have great expectation for prayers to be answered like never before. I am petitioning in writing. I’m declaring in speech. And not for just the “big ones.” For example, our area experienced snow - more than our annual dusting over the weekend. Stella loves to play outside with her frisbee regardless of the weather forecast. When she goes outside, the frisbee is the first thing she looks for. Saturday afternoon after we finished throwing the frisbee, the Holy Spirit instructed me to bring it on the porch. Again as in the case of the earrings, I chose to ignore because I didn’t want to travel back down the stairs to secure it. When we awakened Sunday morning and found the backyard covered in white, Stella ran all over searching for her frisbee. I didn’t want her to suffer for my obedience. I prayed aloud and asked God to reveal it to me. Immediately, I looked down and at my feet, there was her frisbee, a tip visible beneath the snow. God is positioned to respond, even to our simplest needs, but we must be positioned to listen and one step beyond listening… to act.
I use to desire so terribly to hear from God; now that I do, I want to move when I hear His voice. I don’t want to hesitate; but instead trust His timing, welcome His wisdom and move with His momentum. Real naked ears is not being without earrings, but instead tuning out the noise around me and that even spurred by me to hear what God has to say. His words can make the difference for everything that concerns us. In society, when we think of nakedness, we associate it with shame or unholy. Before the fall of man, Adam and Eve were naked and were unashamed (Genesis 2:25). How might we create a regimen of listening with intention to all that God blesses us to hear? His instruction is laced with love and filled with answers, strategy and affirmation. Much of our lament can be addressed by simply taking the time to pause to hear His purposes expressed. If I am blessed to see the end of 2026, I want to have more narratives of the benefit of listening and acting on what God says as opposed to the tragedy of listening and ignoring. With so much happening in the world, I cannot afford to ignore God - someone’s very life may be dependent upon it. After all, we are living epistles.
I won’t deny a cute pair of earrings, but give me naked ears to hear His Voice and the opportunity to move as He instructs.