David Letterman did not invent the "Top 10" list, but he certainly popularized it. Letterman has been reading the Top 10 on his late night show since 1985.
Of course, you don't have to limit yourself to Letterman. Today you can find a list for every topic imaginable. In fact, there is even The Top 10 List That Nobody Should Write Anymore.
Yesterday I took a glance at the The Ultimate Book of Top 10 Lists. It includes the fun, the fascinating, and the bizarre. Here are ten of them:
- The Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries
- The Top 10 Unusual Uses for Peanut Butter
- The Top 10 Fascinating Secrets Taken to the Grave
- The Top 10 Worst Plagues In History
- The Top 10 Books That Changed the World
- The Top 10 Slang Words And Phrases Explained
- The Top 10 Fascinating "Facts" That Are Wrong
- The Top 10 Tips for Outrunning the Cops
- The Top 10 Most Returned Gifts
- The Top 10 Cool Facts About Space
Not all Top 10 lists are a hike up the Trivia Trail. Some carry real significance! Take this one: The Top Ten Fastest Street Legal Cars in the World. Now that is information worth sharing!
On a truly serious note, I want to suggest a new Top 10 list: The Top 10 People At Work I Pray for Every Day.
Yesterday, I shared the post, "Yes, You Really Are God's Special Agent." I did this to emphasize that God has placed you where you work for a reason! He put you there to love and serve people through your work. He also placed you there to help your co-workers who are far away from God, to come to know Him.
Remind yourself of that truth often, because it is easy to get jaded at work. We can look at someone and say, "There's no hope for that guy!" But that is simply not true. The grace of Jesus can bring anyone from death to life. You are there to help share that message. One of the best ways to get started is to pray for your unbelieving friends. This is what Paul did:
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1 ESV
Paul longed for people who were far away from God to come to know Him -- to know his forgiveness, his peace, his power, and his love. Paul knew that only God could change the human heart, so he talked to God about his friends. We must do the same thing.
Today, why not start your own Top 10 list: The Top 10 People At Work I Pray for Every Day. At the top of that list, make sure you write down the names of people who need to discover the incredible love of God.
As you do that, let me share my prayer for you today. It comes from Ephesians 6:19-20:
I pray that God gives you words to open your mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. I am asking him that you would remember that you are an ambassador for Jesus right where you are, and that you would humbly and boldly serve and speak for God this week at your workplace.