Sermon Illustrations
Google Searches Show Relationship Confusion and Anger
Search Factory, an Australian based marketing consulting company, wanted to determine the search volume for some of Google's strangest search requests. So using a process they called "exact match targeting," they were able to collect the worldwide average monthly search volume for some random search queries. As you can see, the searches reveal that around the world there are a lot of mixed feelings about relationships, especially related to marriage, dating, and romance.
For instance, here are some of most interesting average searches per month (notice the progression):
- "Why did I get married?"—40,500 monthly searches
- "How to ask a guy out"—14,800 monthly searches
- "How to mend a broken heart"—9,900 monthly searches
- "How to have an affair"—5,400 monthly searches
- "How to get away with murder"—1,900 monthly searches
- "How to hide a dead body"—1,000 monthly searches
Possible Preaching Angles: Marriage; Relationships; Anger; Resentment—You could present this illustration as either a humorous or sad example of how marriages can sometimes slide from marital bliss to "Why did I get married?" to "How to get away with murder" to finally "How to hide the dead body." You can also mention the humorous comment of Ruth Bell Graham (Billy Graham's wife): "I've never considered divorce," she said once. "Murder, yes, but not divorce."