As I mindlessly scroll down my newsfeed on Facebook these days, there's a certain trend I can't help but notice. And I wouldn't really mind this trend (honestly, I kind of enjoy it), except for the fact that I think it has the possibility to be quite destructive.
What is it?
Lists.
"8 Characteristics of a Godly Woman," "10 Ways to Know You're Man is The One," "30 Things College Students Do," "30 Things College Students Do on Break," "23 Things to do before you're 23," and it's response "24 Things to do before you're 24" and on and on it goes.
We've created lists for everything. Wondering whether you're an introvert? Check out "28 Annoying Things about Being an Introvert." Concerned you're significant other is or isn't THE ONE? Read "100 Ways to Know Your Significant Other is or isn't THE ONE."
Disclaimer: I totally fall for it. There's something that feels so good about reading a list of "Characteristics of an Extrovert" and thinking, "Yes, #12! That's so me! #27! So me! Wow, I am such a fun, awesome, wonderfully extroverted person!" (that's not an actual quote, and any similarities to anyone living or dead is completely coincidental... (small joke)) And honestly, it's pride. I was proud when I read the list of "24 Things To Do Before You're 24" and I was doing or had done like 18 of them. In my mind I thought, "Yay! I measure up! I'm on the right track! I'm doing well!" I enjoyed reading these lists and comparing myself to their standards, until I realized that's exactly what I was doing.
Lists of characteristics breed feelings of comparison. And someone else's "Things to do before you're 24" list should actually look different from my "Things to do before you're 24" list. Why? Because we're different people and God works in our lives differently. If someone else wants to #15 Start a homeless shelter, while I want to #18 Preach the gospel in several continents, then our goals and ambitions and even our very lives will look totally different. No one should look at someone else's list of goals or characteristics and feel like their lives or character is worth less because they don't fit #1-20.
So what should we do? Fear not! The Bible (something most of the lists I've been seeing don't even source) has an answer. "...Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..." -Heb. 12:1-2
Instead of looking at lists of how everyone else thinks we should live, we should look to Jesus and how he thinks we should live. And I believe that when we do that every one of us will come away with a different idea of what our lives should look like. While I may be led to share Jesus by starting a ministry, you may feel led to stay where you are and reach your co-workers. While I may need to not talk as much, or not spend so much money, you may need to start speaking up, or start spending money for things that matter.
I do agree that there are characteristics of godly men (and women), and that goals are good to have; but we must be careful about the ideals we place upon each other. If "eating an entire jar of peanut butter in one sitting," is your goal before you turn 25, then you're taking the wrong person's advice.
What would Jesus write if he made a list of "Characteristics of a Christian"? I believe it would look something like this:
1. A Christian LOVES.
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35
The end.
Stop listening to what the world says about "8 Ways Your Spouse Should Act" or "15 Things to Look for in a Friend," and start listening to what God has to say about it. Don't read "23 Things to do before You're 23," read the Word, and feel free to make a list of things that God has for YOU to do with YOUR life, and then go do them! Seek God's will for yourself, don't mindlessly drink what other's put in front of you about the goals they have for themselves.
And above all, LOVE, for that is how we are to be known in this world.
God bless you on your quest for more of Him!
postscript- I'm not trying to hate on blog posts that begin with numbers (though it is a tad over-used), my main goal is to make people aware of what they may be buying into when they read these articles and make sure our focus is on the right things. If read with the awareness that God's plan and goals for one's life may be different than those of the author, they can actually be helpful on occasion.
