…And #1 is? Well, let’s wait on that for just a moment.
Recently as I was surfing the net, I noticed many friends were sharing around the same article. It kept popping up in various circles I frequent, so much like the cat, curiosity got the best of me. I followed the link to what I’d refer to as a junk website. You know the kind… The ones where they’re chocked full of advertisements and the content is this bland homogenized drivel designed to rope in the nitwits and keep their attention. Hmmm… It roped me in, so what’s that say? I suppose that’s a blog for a different day, so back on topic. The title should have told me what I really needed to know, but I opted to read down through the list regardless. These Are The Top 37 Things You’ll Regret When You’re Old was the title stemming from educateinspirechange.org‘s site.
As I zipped down through many resonated with me. Would not having traveled when I had the chance be a regret later? Yup. I’ve traveled quite a bit compared to many, and nearly none compared to others. But have I traveled as much as I probably should have? Nope. What about basic things like wearing sunscreen, missing the opportunity to see great musicians, or aspiring to higher education? Don’t all those things strike a chord with us? We can probably all agree those could end up regrets later in life. Would you consider staying in that dead end job or not playing with your kids enough a regret? You probably would.
The funny thing about that list of 37 things? Not a single regret was focused towards a Christian or Biblical premise. Not one. Would I regret not sharing the Gospel later in life? Would I be ashamed that I hadn’t been a Christian husband to my wonderful wife or Christian father to my beautiful children? I certainly hope so.
This person either came up with this list or was tasked to do so, and of 37 independent thoughts, not a single one of them was directed towards Faith. Heck, forget for a moment I’m a Christian, and just approach this from the perspective of multi-cultural nonsense like most liberals would expect, and there’s still no mention of doing right by your God, Allah, or whatever…
Does anyone find that disturbing? “OK Michael, not everything is about religion.” You’re right about that. But take this back to the article title and let it sink in. The TOP 37 things… That’s not an accident. The most important things in life I’d like to think are irrefutably bound to the Lord. I could extrapolate on that a bit, but the fact is while there are a ton of things that are small and insignificant while still being capable of regret, I really believe if I’m not acting in Christian Faith, then the whole list of 37 things pale in comparison. If I’m acting in Christian Faith, I would submit that the 37 items listed would actually be far fewer for me personally, and more than likely for you in kind. If you didn’t read the article go give it a whirl. If you’re doing right by the Lord, I believe you’d be scratching a great many of those off the list by default.
You want regret? What about Genesis 6:6 (ESV version) – And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
That’s regret…
Yeah, that got heavy didn’t it? We barely got into the greatest story ever told before man screwed up and God was disappointed in us. That’s regret. However, that was God’s regret. My regret today? …That Jesus died on a cross to save me from the sins I and those before me made. So I’m looking forward to doing right by Him with my limited time here. If I make it to my end and manage to do exactly jack with it, then that will certainly become a regret…
Listen, can we apply the premise of glorifying God with any or most of those 37 items listed as regrets? We sure can. So I’m not trying to be churchy or uppity. Rather, I was more interested in the fact that glorifying God wasn’t listed in any fashion, or more appropriate the lack there of. I find that as interesting as the premise itself. Isn’t that a reflection of how we think and act?
Be salt and light my friends.
