If you had to summarize your life in six words, what would they be? Several years ago an online magazine asked that question. It was inspired by a possibly legendary challenge posed to Ernest Hemingway to write a six-word story that resulted in the classic “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” The magazine was flooded with so many responses that the site almost crashed, and the responses were eventually turned into a book.
Not Quite What I Was Planning is filled with six-word memoirs by writers “famous and obscure.” The memoirs range from funny to ironic to inspiring to heartbreaking: “One tooth, one cavity; life’s cruel.” “Savior complex makes for many disappointments.” “Cursed with cancer. Blessed with friends.” (This one was written not by a wise, old grandmother but by a nine-year-old boy with thyroid cancer.) “The psychic said I’d be richer.” (Actually, this author might be richer if she stopped blowing money on psychics.) “Tombstone won’t say: ‘Had health insurance.’” “Not a good Christian, but trying.” “Thought I would have more impact.”
It is striking to think about what the characters of Scripture might write for their six-word memoirs. I think they would revolve around the intersection of the story of that person’s life with God’s story. They would all be inspired by a divine opportunity that God had set before them and the response — the yes or no — that shaped their lives. Abraham: “Left Ur. Had baby. Still laughing.” Jonah: “‘ No.’ Storm. Overboard. Whale. Regurgitated. ‘Yes.’” Moses: “Burning bush. Stone tablets. Charlton Heston.” Adam: “Eyes opened, but can’t find home.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: “King was hot. Furnace was not.” Noah: “Hated the rain, loved the rainbow.” Esau: “At least the stew was good.” Esther: “Eye candy. Mordecai handy. Israel dandy.”
John Ortberg, All the Places to Go . . . How Will You Know?: God Has Placed before You an Open Door. What Will You Do?
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