Have you noticed that there is a list for almost anything in life. Driving to work this morning I heard a blurb about Top 5 things you need to know to be a good parent. While I appreciate lists as much as anyone, have we finally reached a point of no return? Will everything we do be boiled down to a process of 5 or 10 “must do” things. What was started by Steven Covey’s “Seven habits of highly effective people” and David Letterman has mushroomed into a “spaghetti bowl” of to-dos. I too have come up with a list for the lists that I keep in mind as I go through my day.

1. What happens if someone hasn’t come up with a “list” for our particular problem or activity?

2. How many lists can we realistically implement? Parenting, workout, student, friend, co-worker…

3. Who are these expert list makers and do they eat their own cooking?

4. Does everyone fit into a single, neat, well understood box?

5. Whatever happened to thinking?

Lists have their place indeed. But I think we are becoming too dependent on a quick fix, or an easy out instead of working through our own issues.

So to commemorate this as “list” day…Here are my own top 3 ways to become less “list” dependent and more Christ-centered for your life’s needs.

1. Study the Bible. We are assured in Psalm 18 that the Bible is “complete” with respect to human needs. It contains what we need to understand ourselves and solve our problems.

2. Pray. God works through the Bible and through prayer to guide you and me through any situation.

3. Get into an accountability group. Find, develop, and be faithful to a group of people who are willing to walk with you on your journey. Hint: Church is a great place to find such people.