Life's Little Instructions
Mark 10:17-31
Illustration
by Billy D. Strayhorn

H. Jackson Brown, the author of "Life's Little Instruction Book" wrote a list of hilarious bits of "Kid Wisdom".

  • When your mother is mad and asks, "Do I look stupid?" it's best not to answer her.
  • You should never laugh at your dad if he's mad or screaming at you.
  • You should never pick on your sister when she has a baseball bat in her hands.
  • It's no fun to stay up all night if your parents don't care.
  • You should not be the first one to fall asleep at a slumber party.
  • You can't hide mashed potatoes in your hat.
  • No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

He also offered some really good advice and insight as well:

  • Making a good grade on a test you studied hard for is a glorious feeling.
  • The greatest teacher is not the one who talks all the time, but the one who listens.
  • When you pray, you get a happy feeling inside like God just walked into your heart and is warming Himself at a cozy fire.
  • It's funny how God uses simple people to do great things.
  • Nothing hurts more than guilt.
  • My three favorites from the book are:
  • You will never be happy if all you do is think about all the things you don't have.
  • It's OK to fail, but it's not OK to give up.
  • It does not matter how much money a family has. If there is a lot of love in a home, that family is richer than any millionaire could be.

That last one is something that the rich young ruler in today's passage didn't quite get, isn't it.

Like Threading a Needle with a Camel, by Billy D. Strayhorn