What the Deaf Man Heard

There was a movie out a number of years ago entitled “What the Deaf Man Heard.” In a nutshell, a young boy becomes stranded in a small town in the late 30’s or early ‘40s, and pretends to be deaf – sort of a self-preservation coping mechanism. He’s taken in by a couple, and grows up to be the town “fix-it” man. And because he (presumably) can’t hear, he becomes privy to much of what goes on behind the scenes in town. Ultimately a scandal breaks out, to which the “deaf” man is witness. And jokingly, the protagonists put him on the witness stand, so everyone can hear what the “deaf man" heard. It is at this point that it becomes clear that he can hear, and did hear, and he is willing to tell all. But I’d like to talk about what another deaf man heard.

The story is found in Mark 7. Jesus and His disciples are passing through the region of Decapolis , when a deaf man with a speech impediment is brought to Jesus. Of course, Jesus heals both problems (verses 32-36). But notice the important thing – the first thing the deaf man heard was the beautiful voice of the Savior. And by implication of verse 36, the first things he said were praise and thanksgiving to the Savior.

And what about the blind men mentioned in Matthew 9:27-31? They came to Jesus asking for mercy, and He gave them their sight. The first thing these men saw was the face of the Savior. And they, too, added praise and thanksgiving to the Lord wherever they went.

Can you appreciate it? The first thing you see is His face. The first thing you hear is His voice.

Let’s move on to Lazarus. When he came out of the tomb, the first voice was that of Jesus. The first vision was of Jesus. The first person in his presence was Jesus.

To a degree, that can be your experience and mine every morning, if our first thought of the day is of Him. Oh, I know it’s important to head for the kitchen to get breakfast going; and letting the dog out is important, too. So also is… But are those things really that much more important than what the deaf man heard and the blind man saw?



Jerry