Sometime back in the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway bet a friend ten dollars that he could write a complete story in just six words. His story:
“For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
He won the bet.
Several years ago the Smith Magazine asked readers to sum up their own lives in just six words. The submissions became a best-selling book: Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.
Here are a few of the entries.
Head in books, feet in flowers.
— Heather Thomson
Trust me, I did my best.
— Ray Kemp
Wasted my whole life getting comfortable.
— Richard Merrington
Worry about tomorrow, rarely enjoy today!
— Richard Rabone
Pass the bottle before clarity returns.
— Gail Edmans
Four Weddings, Three kids, then cancer.
— Gillian Johnson
Really should have been a Lawyer.
— Gules Fallan
Bored, so bored, so very bored.
— John Doyle
Married childhood sweetheart. Two kids. Content.
— Steve McMullen
Ditched the map, found better route.
— Gillian Smellie
. . . . . . . . . . . .
How might Jesus have summarized his life?
“To seek and save the lost.” [Luke 19:10] or …
“To give abundant life to all.” [John 10:10]
Or the Apostle Paul:
“Tough fight, long race, won both.” [2 Timothy 4:7]
Peter might have summarized his life this way:
“Took chances, failed often, experienced power.” [Matthew 14:29; Mark 14:71; Acts 5:15]
King David could have said:
“The Lord is all I need.” [Psalm 23:1]
. . . . . . . . . . . .
But how about you?
How would you summarize your life so far? Dreams vs. reality? Goals vs. outcomes? Your confidence in the final result? Can you tell your story in six words?
© 2008/2024. This post originally appeared at PreachingLibrary.com
