Lesson 2: Prioritizing people over my task lists: Relationships are all that matter.
Often, I have been frustrated when I think about my work week over the last year. My last career in business was defined by an adherence to Microsoft Outlook, meetings, trips, and identifiable accomplishment. It was easy, if the business was growing, profitable, and healthy, I was doing a great job. Rewards came in many ways. I received an emotional high with every account that we won, every stellar sales month, and every bonus. Bottom line, I believed I was in control.
Yet, as many of you can relate to, none of that is fulfilling or carries any lasting value. Money is earned and spent in a blink of an eye. Stories are rampant of lonely individuals who put their financial security first, only to live empty lives because they haven’t invested in people. God clearly teaches us that our relationship with Him is the biggest gift we have, and truly the only thing of eternal value. This relationship should radically motivate us to build relationships with all kinds of people around us.
In addressing poverty in El Salvador, it has become evident to me that the poorest in the world are those without a relationship with Christ and without quality relationships with others. One can argue that economically speaking, the only thing that separates the desperate poor of our world to the wealthy is the sets of relationships they are born into. A few break the barriers, but by and large life is lottery, a few of us have drawn the right numbers, while most haven’t.
So as a believer in Jesus Christ, I must be concerned with restoring broken relationships. I have to care that billions are cut off from God, cut off from their neighbors, and cut off from the political, social, and economic relationships necessary for abundant lives. Checking off boxes from my Franklin Planner will not suffice. I must continually ask myself, “how am I restoring relationships in a manner that lives out the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?”
Lesson 3: There are only 24 hours in the day, and I can’t do it all. I have to intentionally choose the activities that most reflect God’s heart and mission for my life.
If you looked in my office, you’ll find a list of books that I plan to read this year. You’ll also find a list of areas in which I plan to grow, academically, physically, spiritually, relationally, and professionally. Yet, I will not even come close to reaching all that I have set before me. As much as I want to, I cannot control how this year will turn out. I have no idea if one of my family members will get sick. I don’t know if I will get hurt again (I got hurt 3x’s last year). All I can do is lay these lists before the Lord, trusting that he has guided me to write them only as guideposts in my journey to live out a life that honors him.
I truly believe the ethic that says it is who we are, and not what we do that defines us. Yet, I think that we often take this too far. If I say that I am a Christian that loves Christ and wants to know Him deeper, but I spend huge amounts of time watching television, pursuing hobbies, slaving to make money, etc., how do my activities reflect my words?
Instead, I have to be very intentional in how I live. This is the fruit of the Spirit known as self control. Self control is not just keeping your eyes away from the women, not drinking too much, or swearing when you are cut off. Self control means that I am so connected with the Spirit of God that every action is under His control. Obviously this will take a lifetime, in fact an eternity, to reach. But shouldn’t my goal in life be that everything I do, say, and think is under the control of the living Holy Spirit in me? Thus, I have to choose each day to spend my time and energy on activities that will move towards this goal. Everything else should be folly to me.