"But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear" (Zechariah 7:11).

A hardened unbeliever went one day to see—but not to hear—George Whitefield when he preached outdoors to a great throng. In order to have a good vantage point, he climbed a nearby tree. Putting his fingers in both ears, he began to watch the mighty preacher. Then a persistent fly lit on his nose. He shook his head, but the fly wouldn't move.

Just as he removed a hand from an ear to flick the fly away, Whitefield quoted the verse, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15). Then he spoke of the willful refusal of many to hear the Spirit's voice. This unbelieving man was so impressed by what happened, that he opened not only his ears to the gospel, but also his heart.

"How then shall they hear without a preacher? … So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:14,17).

—Gospel Herald