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I like to speak publicly and take every opportunity I can to do so because I believe I have an important message, the one that’s reflected in The Ewellogy over and over: deepen your relationship with God through daily time in the Word, put his Word into action, teach others to do the same. In short: bear fruit!

Therefore, it bothers me when people come up after I speak and say, “Thanks for coming. I enjoyed that.” I’m always nice (I think) and thank them for listening, but what I want to say is, “I didn’t mean for you to enjoy it; I meant for you to put it into practice!” A pastor friend of mine likes to ask, “What particular part did you most enjoy and why?”

What’s scary about “enjoy” is that King Herod was said to enjoy listening to John the Baptist (while he had him locked up in prison):

But Herod both feared and stood in awe of John and kept him safely in custody, because he was convinced that he was a righteous and holy man. Every time Herod heard John speak, it disturbed his soul, but he was drawn to him and enjoyed listening to his words. (Mark 6.20, Passion Translation)

Herod enjoyed listening to John but took no action. It reminds me of when God told Ezekiel:

As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. (Ezekiel 33.30 – 32, NIV)

Biblical warnings against hearing without doing are clear. Let’s heed them!

And [Jesus] said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear…” (Mark 4.24, ESV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)