bits from bob....

Phooey on Philosophies!

by Robert J. Young
©, 2001, Robert J. Young
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]

Enough already! Every church bulletin I get this time of year is filled with poetry and philosophy about the New Year. Preacher's articles splash eloquent reminders about using time wisely, starting over, doing better, or the brevity of life.

May I write instead about the Guinness Book of Records? It is an interesting book. Amazing, and weird. The fastest mile, the longest fingernails, the biggest ship. The record for hair-splitting (suppose it was an ancestor of one of our brethren?) is 16 strands. The record for non-stop talking is 150 hours (wouldn't touch that one!). The record for riding a ferris wheel is 37 days. Longest game of tiddly winks is 240 hours.

Consider some worthwhile records toward which you and I could strive in the coming year, records that would never make it into the Guinness Book of Records. Don't you agree that these would be quite meaningful records? What would happen if we set the following records?

  • being the first to say "I'm sorry" the most times
  • smiling the most often
  • forgiving those who hurt our feelings or offend us
  • patiently listening to others problems
  • encouraging and complimenting the most people
  • being kind and compassionate to the most people

    If you put your mind to it, you can undoubtedly think of many other things in which it would be a blessing to set some kind of record--records of Christlikeness, gratitude, care, concern, and sharing. Let's set some records! Mr. Guinness will never know or care, but God will!


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    Last updated November 23, 2001.