But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

It is an unusual thing to see a world record stand unbroken for almost three decades.

Even so, in the 1980s Elizabeth Brinton set a record, which has done just that. Her record was for selling almost 18,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies during a single year's campaign. Hers was a record most folks were pretty sure could never be broken. Oh, sure, there were those who tried to shatter Brinton's accomplishment. For example, last year Katie Francis from Oklahoma City sold 12,428 boxes of the tasty goodies.

It was a valiant effort, but Francis was still a long way from setting a new sales record.

Now most people would say to themselves, "Well, I tried." Then, having tried, they would move on to something else. But Francis is not most people. Spurred on by her miss, this year Francis tried harder. Her efforts paid off when she set a new record and sold 18,107 boxes of cookies.

When the media approached Francis and asked her to explain the secret of her success, she answered, "I ask everyone I meet if they want to buy Girl Scout cookies."

Please note: Francis never talked herself out of a sale by saying, "Well, I won't ask these people because they will think I'm being pushy." Nor did she buy into excuses like "These people have a granddaughter in my troop. It's her job, not mine, to approach them and make the sale."

Francis didn't do any of that. She simply asked everybody, "Do you want to buy Girl Scout cookies."

It is amazing the number of people who did.

Although Francis is only in sixth grade, she can teach most of us a lesson, maybe a number of lessons. For example, her example shows us sharing that which is important to us takes time and commitment. It shows us if something -- like cookies for Francis or Jesus Christ for us -- is important, then we ought to be enthusiastic in our sharing. It shows us we will never be successful in sharing the Savior if we let ourselves be talked out of making a witness.

To put it another way, Francis saw her job as selling cookies. She left it to someone else to say, "No, I don't want any." Similarly, the Christian's work is to share the Savior. It ought to fall to another person, not us, to come up with reasons they don't want Him or the eternal life He has won.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, in Jesus we have been given forgiveness, life, light and salvation. Keep us from excuses and allow us to share Him with those around us. In His Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Joshua 7-9    Luke 9:37-62

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