A Jewish proverb says:
“When the eyes don’t see, the heart won’t feel.”
To the people of His day, Jesus said:
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”  (Matthew 13:14 NIV)
He had been sharing with the people, telling them parables, in an attempt to open their understanding. Yet they failed to grasp what He was telling them.
How did they get to this point? Jesus tells us …
“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.”Â (Matthew 13:15a NIV).
Their hearts had become calloused. Calloused. The thickening of an external layer of skin which forms in order to withstand pressure or fiction. It is the body’s way of handling pressure, or friction, without having to feel constant pain.
But the result is something hard and unattractive. We usually want to cover up our callouses, using a pumice stone or lotions to smooth and soften the skin once again.
The same is true of our hearts. When they become calloused, they harden. We become unfeeling towards God and others. In trying to prevent ourselves from feeling further pressure or pain, we prevent ourselves from feeling what is necessary and needed in our lives ”“ God.
Jesus goes on to further explain the result of their calloused hearts:
“Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”Â (Matthew 13:15b NIV).
Their own callous hearts stood in the way of their healing. Our own callous hearts will stand in the way of our receiving what we need from God as well.
Jesus had this to say to those whose hearts had remained soft towards Him and His Word:
“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”
(Matthew 13:16 NIV).Ă‚Â
Blessed. We are blessed when we have eyes that see and ears that hear. Blessed……
Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose … Blessedness is sharing in the life of God, being favorably affected and influenced by God. (New Testament Lexical Aids).
 “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.”
https://youtu.be/RgRhIzx3CU8
Today I am joining … Grace Moments and #ChasingCommunity and Heart Encouragement Thursday and Tune In Thursday .
Oh for eyes to see and ears to hear — my constant prayer. We miss so much of God’s goodness because we’re distracted and enamored by things less than His best, don’t we? I want to live “blessed.” Thank you, Joanne. ((xoxo))
I’ve not heard that proverb before, but I love it! Thanks for sharing this, Joanne. I hope to remember to keep my eyes open so I can both see and feel: “When the eyes don’t see, the heart won’t feel.”
Joanne- I want a soft heart to hear God always! A heart that won’t open, can’t be filled also with Jesus.
Thank you for this post!
#GraceMoments
Joanne,
I love this song….and I make it my prayer that God would open the eyes of my heart that I may see Him high and lifted up. It’s so easy to get calloused hearts in this world. Joining with you in asking God to open my eyes and my heart.
Blessings,
Bev xx
I love this song! Thank you for encouraging me to open my eyes of the heart.
Beautiful post, Joanne! I had not heard of that Jewish proverb and it is so to the point! Love that! Thanks for the rich sharing and the beautiful music as well! May He open all of our hearts so that we also may not be asleep as we walk through this Holy Week.
Joanne – I am so sorry, it has taken me almost a whole week to stop by and comment from #TuneInThursday linkup last week. I was away at a Conference since last week and the wifi was practically non-existent.
Oh yes, Open the eyes of my heart Lord – I want to see! My prayer is always keep my eyes and ears open to hear you Lord.
Again thank you for linking up last week, and I hope to see you tomorrow at #TuneInThursday