“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”James 1:22-25

The story is told of a seminary lecturer who set his students a task – with a tight deadline. To teach them to “be instant in and out of season” when it came to being prepared to preach at short notice, they were to write a sermon outline about “The Good Samaritan”, and bring it to him in his office within the next 15 minutes. He then left the room for his office in another building. The students all worked hard, writing their sermon plans, all seemingly making the point that it was the Samaritan who was considered a neighbour, the hero of the story, to the man who had fallen among thieves. Having such a tight deadline increased the pressure on each of the students but, one by one, they finished the task and from the room, heading for the lecturer’s office. On the way they each encountered a homeless man sleeping in the doorway of the lecturer’s office block, but they managed to ignore and step over him to reach their goal, some with only seconds to spare. Each student left his notes with the lecturer’s secretary and left the building, once again stepping over the man on the steps below. Unfortunately, unbeknown to any of them, the “homeless man” they had all stepped over was the lecturer in disguise. The following morning, when they arrived in the classroom, they were taught a very important lesson. Not only were they all required to hear and the words of Yehovah and, indeed, to be able and ready to share their faith with others, they – and we – are all responsible to put what we read and say we receive into practice. Each of us must walk the walk as well as talk the talk.