Okay this blog is inspired by Stephen Covey's book "First things first" so although not my idea, the principle has been a great guidance for my life. I have had one of those weeks where my long list of things to do has gotten longer daily. The peak came yesterday when the foul smell of a dead animal permeated through the church building. With Sunday coming and no one else around I began the search. Gloves on my hands and a dust mask on my face I opened up the ceiling and tore into walls, all the while thinking, "I shouldn't have to do this, I don't have time for this" Time is always an issue for most people. We seem to run out of it and when we look back and we can't figure out where the week went. But if you take a real-time inventory of your daily life you will find it filled with things that are urgent but not important.
Most people use this approach to life; do all the little menial tasks and get them out of the way, then you can concentrate on the big important stuff. Bad idea, because the little menial tasks never end and we end up spending our lives in the conquest of the unimportant. Try this approach; do the important things first. Pray first not last. Study for your Sunday School class early in the week not on Saturday night. Play catch with your son, you can work on the yard later. Life is full of little tasks that seem to scream to us, "hey, I need you to take care of me now" but most of those little tasks don't better our lives at all and we wouldn't suffer one bit if they were ignored. So do the important things first and when your done, then you can tackle that little to do list.
Mary and Martha were hosting Jesus at their home. Martha was busy with the little tasks that seemed to be urgent, while Mary just sat at Jesus' feet taking in all that He said. Martha was upset with Mary but Jesus corrected her, "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." It was good for Martha to work for the Lord but it would have been better to have spent some time first at His feet. Mary wasn't lazy, she had her priorities in order putting what was important first. (Luke 10:38-42)
So figure out what is truly important and do it first, you'll have a better more productive life.
Yes, I did find the dead raccoon and he was delicious. (just kidding)
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