Nearly 50 years ago a friend gave me a copy of one of my favorite books. He wrote me a kind note in the front of the book by Charles Spurgeon, Lecture to My Students. I have read and reread that book over the years. I probably consult it several times every year.

Today I wanted to invite you to read some quotes from the chapter on the Blind Eye and Deaf Ear. These are wonderful quotes that I think you will find useful in your ministry.

You cannot stop people’s tongues, and therefore the best thing is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken.

Tacitus describes a wise man as saying to one that railed at him, “You are lord of your tongue, but I am also master of my ears”—you may say what you please, but I will hear what I choose

Know nothing of parties and cliques, but be the pastor of all the flock, and care for all alike. Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone. Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out of itself. Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear.

Above all, never join in tale-bearing yourself, and beg your wife to abstain from it also.

If we have the approbation of our God, certified by a placid conscience, we can afford to be indifferent to the opinions of our fellow-men, whether they commend or condemn.

In enlarging upon my text, let me say first,—when you commence your ministry make up your mind to begin with a clean sheet; be deaf and blind to the long standing differences which may survive in the church. As soon as you enter upon your pastorate you may be waited upon by persons who are anxious to secure your adhesion to their side in a family quarrel or church dispute; be deaf and blind to these people, and assure them that bygones must be bygones with you, and that as you have not inherited your predecessor’s cupboard you do not mean to eat his cold meat.

Mr. Welton has thus recorded the remarkable message given to him, in 1867, when he accepted his first pastorate at Thetford:—“I want you to go under an operation before you leave. I am going to put out one of your eyes, to stop up one of your ears, and to put a muzzle on your mouth. Then you had better have a new suit of clothes before, you go, and you must tell the tailor to make in the coat a pocket without a bottom. You understand my parable?” “I think so, sir; but should like your interpretation.” “Well, there will be many things in your people that you must look at with the blind eye, and you must listen to much with the deaf ear, while you will often be tempted to say things which had better be left unsaid; then, remember the muzzle. Then all the gossip you may hear, when doing pastoral work, must be put into the bottomless pocket.”