A Good News Event
April 30, 2021
[Video text below:]
Today, I came across this scripture during my daily reading. This is one of several parables Jesus told about His mission to seek and save the lost. I am reading Luke 15:8-10 from the Wuest translation:
Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one, does not light a lamp and sweep the house with a broom and seek carefully until she finds it? And having found it, she calls together her women friends and her women neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me because I have found the silver coin which I lost. Thus I am saying to you, joy arises in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
I paused when I read what the woman said to her girlfriends. “Rejoice with me because something good happened to me today.” Of course, that is a paraphrase, but what a great habit to have! When something good happens, I should share it with my friends. In keeping with the theme of cultivating joy in your life, what if we established this habit? How would your conversations with your friends or family be different if, instead of complaining, you only shared good news and encouraging stories and observations?
This past year has been very isolating and many current events were very polarizing. Some lost friends and family because of words spoken about political or social issues that could not be taken back. If there are so many topics that we have to avoid, pretty soon we don’t have anything to say to each other and the isolation deepens further. This might be a good time to try another way and use the model of the woman who found her lost coin. Rejoice with me!!
I am suggesting something a little silly, but aren’t all attempts to bring joy into your life a little silly? Make a pledge with the person or persons you are gathering with to only share good news for that entire conversation. I am not talking about bragging. I am talking about having a conversation filled with the things listed in Philippians 4:8. The Message translation says:
…things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
This is harder than it would appear because we are so steeped in negativity and complaining. But, I promise that this exercise is well worth the experiment. In fact, on my blog page, there is a pledge card that you can copy and use for this [see below]. It is called: An Only Good News Event. You put down the date and list the people at your gathering. Then, you read aloud the pledge to each other. I have an example below. Then finally, everyone signs it. If someone slips up and starts complaining or bragging, the participants just gently get them back on track.
Your gossip sessions would be very different if the only things you could gossip about were the good things you saw or heard. There will be periods of silence, but that is okay. Many times the silence is when we process what we have heard and can formulate ways to encourage others and ourselves. If you are going to do this, you may want to think about what stories you will tell during that conversation. Some won’t like that because it is not natural or organic, but frankly, more planned and thoughtful conversations might be good thing. Think of ways to love on the people you gather with and spend a little time rejoicing with each other.
Pledge Card
An Only Good News Event
Date of Event:
List Names:
The above listed persons do pledge to only share good news and good reports on this day at this event. Violators will be gently encouraged to repent and rephrase. We further pledge, from this day forward, to rehearse stories about how God has and is working in our lives during all our future conversations.
Signatures of all parties:
