what's in a number

I recently heard that Goolge is getting rid of Google Friend connect for non-blogger users and they are encouraging them use another one of their social networking platforms, Google+.

[More information can be found here.]

Although I host my blog through Blogger and am [for now] not affected, I hopped onto Google+ just to see what it was all about.

And the whole time, you know what I was thinking?

Oh great, another number I will compare myself against.

We all do it.

We use our "numbers" to see how well we're doing.

We use them to define our success.

We compare ourselves to others using them, seeing how we add up.

We let them make us feel inadequate.

And you know what I'm talking about.

The number of folks that subscribe to our blogs.

The number of followers on Twitter.

The number of sales in our shops.

The number of likes on our Facebook pages.

It's got to stop.

For my sanity and yours, let's please find new numbers.

697: the number of times the word love appears in the bible

3: representing the trinity,

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Matthew 28:19   

The Book of Numbers: "The message of the Book of Numbers, is universal and timeless.

It reminds believers of the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged,

for Numbers is the book of the service and walk of God's people."

8: the number of beatitudes

31 [Proverbs]: "She is worth far more than rubies."

48: the number of times the word perfect appears in the bible; 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the

Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

4:6 [James]: "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'     

So, how will you measure success? What number will you choose? Mine's 3:5.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4