Don't Waste Your Time!

Have you ever wished for a 30 hour day? Imagine all of the extra time to fulfill those loose ends that keep on building up around you. Like that pile of laundry that is hitting your ceiling. Like those books that are sitting next to your bed. Like those letters that needed sent out yesterday still sitting on your desk. Would more hours really mean more productivity?  I think not.  If we are honest with ourselves, I am sure we would all find a way to fill those extra hours with more of the same unnecessary things we do now.  This is why Lord Chesterfield stated, “If you take care of the minutes the hours will take care of themselves."  The Apostle Paul as well urges us to care for our time when he writes, “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15). I came across a piece of advice years ago that has transformed how I utilize my time.  It is called the "Tyranny of the Urgent."  The basic idea is as follows: "You cannot let the urgent things crowd out the important.” Simple, yet powerful advice. I cannot tell you how many times I am trying to accomplish something important and magically I find myself involved in some type of nonsense. Time to clip my toe nails.Time to catch up on my 1,320 Facebook friends. Time to perform an intense research study on the cast of "My so called Life.” This is why I adhere to the 11th Commandment of time management,” Do not leave undone those things which you ought to have done; or you will have done those things which you ought not have done.  With this in mind, everyday when I walk into work I have a list of the important items that I need to accomplish.  Then I work feverishly to accomplish that list and by the end of most days I do.  This method helps me sift through what is necessary and what is not.  In short, I have to be intentional about fighting the tyranny of the urgent because I know that without a plan, the seemingly urgent things will find a way to creep in and take over my life. 

TRUE north

The North Star serves many as the directing principle while navigating nature. For centuries navigators utilized this natural guide to aid them in their destination. I would argue that mankind needs a North Star aiding them to navigate life as well. The True North that should guide us is contained in the two important qualities our Lord displayed in His earthly ministry: truth and grace. We read in the Gospel of John that Jesus,“became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14). It is my contention that these two qualities become the believers guiding principles throughout their lives. Other Scripture’s speak to this dynamic such as: "Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:15) “…which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:6) “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love” (2 Jn. 2:3). We see the emphasis of two critical ideas on the same coin, but different sides. Love and grace are so important because this will cause me to slow down, consider the situation, and take in all the information. I think about this as “pumping the breaks” and allowing God to work fully. We see this throughout the Gospels with our Lord as He would draw near to “sinners” while the crowd stood at a distance. I find it insightful that when we examine how Jesus ministered, He was always near people, and in doing so, was able to better minister to them. Hearing people’s stories is powerful and loving, it shows the person that you genuinely care. On the other hand we have, truth. You cannot love someone without guiding them to the truth. Oftentimes, our culture deems truth as “mean” or “intolerant”, however, that is far from reality. Consider a caring parent that is guiding their child throughout their lives. It would be grossly unloving if the parent(s) simply allowed that child to make poor decisions that the parent could have helped to prevent. The main issue, that I (and from my observation) many other believers need to think through is not speaking the truth, rather thinking through the manner by which truth is spoken. We can learn much from Proverbs 25:11 in this regard, “Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word aptly spoken.” Meaning, it is not just what you say -but how you say it. Oftentimes, we need to think through how we will deliver truth and also take in consideration the timing of the message. All of this is hard work which is why love is so critical to the process. In conclusion, I utilize the concepts of truth (grace) and love in all of my relationships, from parenting to ministry, and everything in between. I believe these two ideas sit on the same seesaw but on different sides and it is up to me to carefully and prayerfully consider how best to utilize them. Though not always done perfectly, having these two principles pointing me toward Truth North will most likely guide me to the best destination.