All have a physical ear, but a few could be deaf. Others could not hear clearly. They listen mechanically, i.e., mindlessly. Some understand and apply.
Stone-deaf: Some people are deaf and could not hear any voice or noise or sound. There are spiritually stone-deaf people, who reject the voice of the Holy Spirit. Shouting at the top of their voice by others also does not reach their ears.
Tone deaf: Some do not understand the tone or especially the pitch in music. In the same way, people do not understand the seriousness of sin or the surety of hell, or the justice of God. They know God as loving and ignore other attributes.
Hearing Impaired: Some people could hear partially or selectively. They could hear certain frequencies and could not hear certain ranges. Human normal hearing capacity is 20 to 20000 Hz. Infants are sensitive to higher frequencies but gradually lose that capacity. Some could hear only Promises, blessings, and privileges God gives His people. They simply ignore the call for repentance, taking up the cross and Holy life.
Mechanical hearing: There are people who could know the words as phonetics or pronounced right, but not the meaning. Many people could read the Writing on the Wall, just as words, but could not understand the meaning or implications except Daniel. (Daniel 5:5-12)
Hear and understand: Those who could hear, and relate the coherence of words, and the meaning of sentences are people with knowledge. There are many people including theologians who have great knowledge of the bible. There is a Tamil proverb: The photo or picture of the vegetable bottle gourd is not useful to cook curry. In the same way, bookish knowledge is not useful
Hear and obey: However, knowledge is inadequate. Obedience is the true outcome of receiving the truth and accepting the knowledge, which can be termed wisdom. Wisemen are those who hear the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ and live according to it, as explained in the Parable of builders. (Matthew 7:24-27)
Do I have a sensitive, sensible, and spiritual ear?