Dear Friends,
One of my favorite books is The Greatest Miracle in the World by Og Mandino. In this classic, Mandino uses a charming story about a “ragpicker” to reveal five secrets to happiness and success. I have tried to give a condensed version of the book, adding Bible verses that reinforce the message. I encourage you to read the book when you get the chance.
Secret 1: Count Your Blessings.
You are God’s greatest miracle. Take a minute to consider what it means to be a human. Think of the systems that must function 86,400 seconds every day just to keep you alive. Think of the senses that allow you to see, hear, touch, taste and smell. Consider that incredible computer known as the human brain. Granted, sometimes everything doesn’t work just the way you think it should, nevertheless, you are an incredible work of God.
He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. Genesis 5:2
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14
Sometimes it is difficult to count your blessings. A loss of a loved one, a serious illness, or financial woes can cause us to focus on what we have lost rather than on what we still have. Do not be anxious about anything may be difficult to embrace when the world seems to be crashing down around you. That’s when counting our blessings may be a lifeline to joy.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12
When things seem to be just fine, it is easy to forget how blessed we really are. We can let “first-world problems” rob us of our joy. This week Bonnie and I had what we considered a “major crisis” when the paint color we had picked for our bedroom looked like something out of a bad episode of “Love It or List It.” We were both upset because the room would have to be repainted. When we paused to count our blessings our frustrated evaporated. How many people in the world, we wondered, would be thankful to have a roof over their head, let alone a nice bedroom?
“I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet” — Dennis Waitley
Of course, our greatest blessing is that we are children of a loving God. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3
Secret 2: Proclaim Your Rarity. Mandino explains, “Consider a painting by Rembrandt, or a bronze by Degas, or a violin by Stradivarius or a play by Shakespeare. They have great value for two reasons: their creators were masters and they are few in number. Yet there are more than one of each of these.
On that reasoning, you are the most valuable treasure on the face of the earth, for you know who created you and there is only one of you.”
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (The Greek word that is translated handiwork is Poema. We are God’s special poem)
Secret 3: Go Another Mile – “The surest way to doom yourself to mediocrity is the perform only the work for which you are paid”
Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
Matthew 5:41
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
Secret 4: Use Wisely Your Power of Choice.
“Choose to love … rather than hate.
Choose to laugh … rather than cry.
Choose to create … rather than destroy
Choose to persevere … rather than quit.
Choose to praise … rather than gossip.
Choose to heal … rather than wound.
Choose to give … rather than steal.
Choose to act … rather than procrastinate.
Choose to grow … rather than rot.
Choose to Pray … rather than curse.
Choose to live … rather than die.”
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, … But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
Secret 5: Do All Things With Love … love for yourself, love for others, and love for God.
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17b-19
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
Og Mandino spells it out: “You are the greatest miracle in the world …You are more than a human being. You are a human becoming. You are capable of great wonders. Your potential is unlimited.”
Proclaim your potential!
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 