Some time ago, a group of travelling salesmen were planning their next trip. They had in mind making a start that very day, or possibly the next, and heading off to a city where they knew they could conduct their business. It was going to be a long trip - they reckoned they might be there for a year. But they were confident it would be worthwhile because, even before setting off, they were counting in their minds the money they would make. There was just one problem though, and it was a big one...

When I was a student, Neighbours, the Australian TV soap about life in a Melbourne street, was still quite new and a daily fixture for many at lunchtime in the Student Union lounge. May be it still is. Talk about neighbours (small 'n') and we instinctively think about those who live near us, on our street. But, of course, to do justice to the idea of being and having neighbours we also need to think about neighbourliness. It is a positive idea. To me it means things like consideration, helpfulness, cooperation...

I can still hear the voices of some of my teachers from school days telling the class to 'Listen!' or asking, 'Are you listening?'. Sometimes it was, 'Pay attention!'. I don't suppose it is much different nowadays. Teachers need to to pass on information or instructions and children can't learn and benefit if they aren't listening. Many times in the book of Proverbs the reader is told to listen and to pay attention to what it says. I would imagine not many people are paying any attention at all to the Bible, let alone the book of Proverbs, but it really is for our good that we do so...

It is a strange but concerning matter that we pay so little attention to the Bible, when the instruction it gives is genuinely for our good. Yet, we are taught from an early age to pay attention to instructions and important information, especially about health and safety. Having lived for a number of years in a small hamlet in rural Suffolk, I am frequently struck by the sheer number of signs you see in London. They are everywhere and of every sort, on the streets, or painted on roads, on public transport, in parks and on buildings and building sites...

Words have a curious power to them. Everyone soon learns from experience that the old adage 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me' is frequently untrue. Words can be very damaging and hurtful. On the other hand, words can be helpful, instructive and even healing. We are bombarded by words from many directions, even in days of personal isolation, through TV, radio, newspapers, or by social media on our smartphones and all sorts of websites on the internet. Words matter...