After I finished my sermon work and all the other end of the week stuff required of any pastor, I read a strange little book called The Noticer by Andy Andrews. It was the perfect book to read on a rainy, fall day with a couple hours to spare.It is a book about perspective.
I'm not exactly sure what I think of the book. On the one hand, it is a book filled with formula and cliche. It is part Dickensian Christmas Carol, part Shack and part Dr. Phil; it is not usually the type of book I make much time for. The story is very familiar - a mysterious, old guy keeps showing up in the lives of people going through life difficulties with pithy advice and wise perspective. Much of the advice and perspective is stuff anyone who reads much will have heard many times before. Some of the stories are so obviously borrowed you feel a little guilty even trying to pretend they are original.
But on the other hand, there is still something nice about this book. Even though there is much that is not new, there is much that is still important. Just because something is familiar doesn't mean we shouldn't pay attention. I've heard the story about the seagull deciding to fly away, but the lesson about actually flying away is still a good reminder to a guy like me making all sorts of well-intended resolutions. I've heard the "fork in the coffin - the best is yet to come" story more times than I can count but, heaven help me, it was good to hear it again today. And all the stuff about becoming the kind of person people want to be around is as old as the hills, but I really think I still ought to pay more attention to it.
This is not new material, but it is worthy material. If you have a rainy afternoon available, give it a moment. A little perspective never hurt anyone.
Thanks Andy.
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