Prayables: Luke 6:31 - Golden Rule

Feature: 24 Hour Challenge

A lot happens in twenty-four hours. Babies are born, healing happens and somewhere, two people fall in love.

Think about the past twenty-four hours in your own life. Have you felt joy, did you laugh, have you recognized God’s miracles?

It’s your responsibility to be happy and to bring happiness to others. No more rudenss when the barrista screws up your coffee order.

Author Joseph Telushkin challenges people he meets, to go for twenty-four hours without saying anything unkind about or to anyone. He says people laugh nervously at his suggestion and he tells them,

“Then you have a serious problem, because if I were to ask you to go for twenty-four hours without any alcohol, and you said you couldn’t, that would mean you’re an alcoholic. And if you couldn’t go twenty-four hours without smoking a cigarette, that would mean you were addicted to nicotine. And if you can’t go for twenty-four hours without speaking unkindly about or to another, that means you’ve lost control over your mouth, and regaining such control will require vigilance.”

Try it. Note the time and get started. Ready, Set, Go. Speak kindly. Tomorrow, twenty-four hours from now, reflect on the challenge and notice how speaking kindly, brings you kindness.

Joke: Pirate Insurance

After many years at sea, a pirate decided to retire. Since he had suffered injuries on the job, he thought that he should collect on his worker's compensation insurance. He had a wooden leg, a hook where his right hand should be and a patch over his right eye.

The agent assured him that he would be compensated if the injuries were work related. "How did you get the wooden leg?" asked the agent.

In a booming voice the pirate replied, "Me and me mates were on the high seas when the boom swang 'round and knocked me into the sea where a shark bit off me leg."

The agent replied, "That is certainly work related. How did you lose your hand?"

"Well matey, me and me mates were on the high seas when the boom swang 'round and knocked me into the sea where a shark bit off me hand," said the pirate.

"That's also work related. Now how did you lose your eye?" asked the agent.

The pirate replied, "Well matey, I was laying on the deck one balmy day catching some rays when this seagull flew by and dropped his duty right in me eye!"

"What does that have to do with the loss of your eye?" said the agent.

"Well, y'see," he replied, "It were the first day with me hook!"