Mark 4:24–25 (NKJV): 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Continuing on in His teaching by parables, Jesus builds upon each with more precision. A sower goes forth to sow seed, and that seed is the word. Everyone hears it (receives it), but only the word that falls upon the good ground (hearts prepared with faith) produce fruit. Then the light shines and reveals all, and in between each parable, the call for those that have ears to hear, to hear. Now those that hear must take care how they hear because how they use what they hear will be judged. If the word sown in us is discarded or ignored, we will loose even this. I believe that Jesus does not accept halfway commitments, and for those that think He does, God will take everything away in the end. This was Achan's problem in the book of Joshua. He heard what everyone heard - not to take of the accursed things when they conquered Jericho. But Achan did not heed the word, and took of the acursed things and hid them in his tent. As you probably know, it didn't end well for Achan or his family, all were stoned to death (Joshua 6&7). Perhaps Achan was of the opinion that God wouldn't mind his indiscretion, like so many Christians do today? He was definitely mistaken if he did. If we as God's children misuse what we have received, will we not also face His judgment? For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10).