While searching for an interesting way to instruct my college writing class about the concept of writing a biographical sketch, I found this idea: Write a biography in six words. When asked to do this, Pulitzer Prize winner Ernest Hemingway wrote this poignant bio: For sale: baby shoes, never used. Imagine the sad story behind those six words.
As I thought about this concept, I wondered if we could find any six-word biographies of people in the Bible. What I discovered was astonishing. Many of our scriptural heroes have already been described that way. For example, David, of whom God said: A man after My own heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Or Pauls self-description: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:1). Or Pauls description of Timothy: My true son in the faith (1 Tim. 1:2 NIV). And consider these words about Mary: The virgin shall be with child (Matt. 1:23). And about Jesus: Became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
This exercise in precise descriptions of people of faith should cause us to wonder: What six-word description would best describe me? Would it be positive or negative? Would it be Not an easy person to love or A shining light for the Lord? What would your bio say?
Read: John 1:1-14
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Good evening, Mayor, and thanks for today’s sustenance for body and soul. ((HUGS))