Life is good

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Life is good. When brothers Bert and John Jacobs wanted to do something creative to make money, they didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Brought up in a family of eight in very modest means, the sons give their mother Joan credit for her positive outlook and encouragement. Joan saw the bright side of life even in bleak financial circumstances. At dinner each night, Jean cheerfully asked the family, “What good thing happened today?”

Through their highly successful t-shirt company, Life is good® the brothers promote their mission: to spread the power of hope. They have chosen to live a life of optimism. They focus on what’s right in the world, not what’s wrong. People connect with their message, Life is good, and as a result their profits have been very good too. The Life is good® corporation has reached sales of over $100 million a year through nearly 5,000 retailers in 29 countries. Sharing their success, the Jacobs are enthusiastic philanthropists and support the development of at-risk children through their non-profit organization, Project Joy. Their influence doesn’t stop there. The Life is good® company employs productive team members who enjoy their work, have fun, and deliver great customer service. The brothers used three simple words to make a difference in the world.

The story of these men and the choice they made to focus on hope and optimism is inspirational and there are many examples of encouragement.

• Their mother Joan made a lasting impression on her family by choosing to focus on the sunny side of life.
  Bert and John used three words to spread a message of hope.
  They share their good fortune with the less fortunate.
  They provide a workplace that enables employees to be productive and enjoy their work at the same time.

We all have the same opportunity to make a choice about how we view the world. We, as Christians, can reflect on the message we send to the world by asking these questions. Have I made a choice to reflect the hope of Christ to the world? What three words would I use to describe life? Do I share my good fortune with the less fortunate? Do I provide a loving, positive environment for those that work with and for me?

Hebrews 10:24, "So let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds."

Do I spur on one another toward love and good works? Life is truly good. Let us spread that good news in our words and deeds today.