Drover has a hearing disorder. It is a serious problem—too serious for even the finest veterinarian to cure. The man knows of no medicine that will correct his dog’s condition. The problem is known as “selective hearing.” Here are the symptoms Drover displays.  

When Drover is asleep under the porch, the sound of a spoon scraping leftovers into his dish will bring him to his feet in an instant; yet he seems unable to hear the sound of the man’s voice ordering him to cease his challenge to a stranger or break off his pursuit of a cat. Once the stranger has retreated or the cat has found refuge in a tree, Drover’s hearing returns.  

Selective hearing is a dysfunction that affects humans as well as dogs. This impairment does not originate within the ear but has its roots deep within the mind or will. It becomes most noticeable when the thing said runs counter to what I like to hear. This is bad enough if it results in tuning out the voices of my family or my church, but it becomes critically serious if I tune out the voice of God. We have this problem if we find ourselves swayed by the faintest suggestions of worldly influence, yet unable to heed the explicit directives of godly authority.  

Someday we will be called before God’s throne of judgment where we will be judged according to what God said, not by whatever He said that we personally deemed important. Although Drover will probably never find a cure for his disease, God is abundantly able to heal this problem in humans. He will effect the cure by touching the heart, not the ears. 

The Spirit calls today; 
Yield to His pow’r. 
Oh, grieve Him not away; 
’Tis mercy’s hour. 
—Samuel Frances Smith 

From Paws on My Porch, by Gary Miller
© 2015 TGS International, PO Box 355, Berlin, Ohio 44610 
Used by permission