About a year ago, chest pains and breathing troubles prompted me to see the doctor. The diagnosis proved to be minor and the course of treatment easy. But the diagnostic process was memorable, to say the least.
The family doctor determined to run some tests. He marked a few items on his page-long checklist, placed the clipboard on a door hook, and while walking out, said, “I’ll check back with you after the tests.”
A few minutes later the nurse marched me to the x-ray department where the technician took a few photographs. She took me to another room, where I blew into a clear plastic thing that looked like an inverted saxophone. Then she took me back to the examination room, looked at the checklist, twisted her nose a bit, looked at me, twisted her nose again, shrugged and then asked, “Are your ears feeling plugged?”
“Not really, but maybe a little in my right ear.”
She pulled out an otoscope, studied both ear canals, and commented, “Well, I see a little extra wax in your right ear.” One warm water ear rinse later, she made a few markings on the chart, placed it back on the door hook, and walked out.
Upon his return the doctor looked at the first chart. “You’re x-rays look good. The lungs are clear.” He looked at the next chart. “Your breathing is strong.” He looked at the third chart. He twisted his nose a bit, looked at me, twisted his nose again, and then with a most puzzled look, asked, “Did the nurse flush out your ears?”
“Yes, sir.”
“She was supposed to give you an EKG, not an ear flush.” He looked at the checklist, saw that his mark was a bit off the mark, and said, “I’ll send her back in to do the EKG.” He shrugged and smiled. “For what it’s worth, you just got a free ear flush. Hope it felt good.”
A sheepish nurse returned, rolling in an EKG machine. Her embarrassment quickly turned into our shared laughing.
As I left the office my laughing turned reflective. Dumbstruck, I realized that in the spiritual life, plugged ear canals cause sick hearts.
What hardened the heart of Pharaoh? What hardened the hearts of Israel’s enemies, and at times the hearts of the Israelites themselves? What hardened the hearts of Jesus’ detractors? One simple answer: their hard-hearts grew out of their deaf ears. Referring to that history, three times the book of Hebrews warns believers, Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of rebellion.
As a young Bible college student, I heard sermon after sermon based upon these passages in Hebrews. “Keep your ears open to God’s voice,” the preachers proclaimed. “Keep your spirits teachable. Keep your hearts tender and receptive to God’s Word–especially to discern that Word in ways you never noticed before.”
We were taught to pray, “Lord, give me a teachable spirit. Give me an open heart. Help me always to hear you and obey your will.”
That kind of prayer carries a high cost.
A person open to being taught is a person willing to change his or her mind. Some folks interpret mind changing as being wishy-washy and undependable. A person open to being taught is a person willing to admit error. Some folks interpret such confession as a sign of weakness. A person waiting for marching orders from God can seem indecisive. Some folks don’t like to follow indecisive leaders.
But God sees things differently. “A broken spirit and a contrite heart,” says David, God “will not despise.” Considering the frequency with which Holy Scripture elevates the importance of the heart–starting with the Shema, that central command to love God with heart, soul and mind–the cost of tenderizing the heart is not too high a cost to pay. And paying the price may include getting an ear flush.
Do you know anybody who needs heart surgery? Do you know any one who could use an ear flush?
