List of Things

I remember back to the days I was marketing and building my Certified Public Accounting practice in Houston, Texas.  There was a reference book titled “Book of Lists”.  There was a book of banks, a book of investment firms, and a list that shocked me, a list of CPA firms.  Why were there so many?  Lists everywhere of all kinds of things.  Top twenty-five football teams.  List of Fortune 500 companies. List of the richest people in the world.  The lists go on and on.   I started thinking what does this all mean; is there anyone interested in this kind of stuff?

My thoughts went to the lists in the Holy Scriptures:

  1. Ten Commandments.
  2. The Gifts of the Spirit
  3. Qualities of a Maturing Christian

These lists were inspired by God.  We would be wise to read each list, be interested in them and heed each one.

The early church believers were inspired to write two major lists on spirituality:

The seven sins – pride, envy, anger, slothfulness, avarice, gluttony, lust

The seven virtues – wisdom, justice, courage, temperance, faith, love, hope

Mahatma Gandhi created his own list. His life was not centered on Jesus Christ.

Seven deadly sins:

Wealth without work

Pleasure without conscience

Knowledge without character

Commerce without morality

Science without humanity

Worship without sacrifice

Politics without principle

Gandhi’s list deserves deep thought. Be the best you.  Live an inspiring life with purpose serving others.