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Good morning. I’m fairly sure I met my mother’s uncle Hugh – but I was pretty small and have very little memory of it.  But I do know a fair bit about him because he was often mentioned as I grew up.  And three facts stand out: first, he was a shepherd; second he had a famously good singing voice; and third that you had to speak very loudly to get his attention.

As far as anyone knew, there was no medical problem with his hearing, but at some point early in his life – quite possibly during the Great War, - he had been badly upset by some kind of noise.  For the rest of his life he never went anywhere without cotton wool stuffed in his ears. 

And that meant he missed most of what was said to him – and much more besides.

Rather than risk hearing something that might upset him he decided he’d rather not listen at all. 

Which has come into my mind a lot lately.  More and more people I come across appear to be terrified of hearing something they disagree with. 

But the cost – to all of us – of doing that is immense.  If we can’t engage in reasonable debate about our differences we lose so much.  Testing an argument can strengthen it or can show its weaknesses  – either way we win.  Some of what we’re desperate to avoid could be useful and helpful and positive.  But we won’t know if we don’t hear it.

Hearing things we don’t like shouldn’t mean we stop listening.  The New Testament has a lot to say about giving one another second chances.  And  surely that means above all we should always be willing to listen to one another - however challenging that may sometimes be.

Lord, give us courage to lower our barriers and engage with Your world and with one another, and bless us as we discover how life affirming and joyful that can be.  Amen