I saw the movie City Slickers
in the theater when I was 15 years old. Billy Crystal was 43 then, and he might as well have been 83 from my perspective. His character in the movie was 39. The movie was entertaining enough (“I made a cow!”), but at age 15 there was no way I could really understand the most important idea of the film.
Now, as I write this at age 39, the idea that was lost on me back then is beginning to make a lot of sense.
Ask most American adults to describe their life and the answer we most commonly hear is “busy”. We are all busy. No doubt about that. Some of us are busier than others, but I don’t know very many folks who are looking for more things to do. We go to work. We go to practices. We go to games. We go to first grade musicals. We go on vacation and typically come home exhausted. We go. It’s just what we do.
I’ll spare you the details, but lately my pace of life has gone to another level. It’s a level that I am not familiar with, and honestly, I am tired. Please understand, this isn’t a complaint. There is nothing wrong. My family and I are beyond blessed. I just happen to have a lot to do these days, more than I remember ever doing previously.
I told a good friend/mentor about this last week, and he wrote this to me:
I know it’s crazy, but it seems like you’re thriving! (“better to burn out than to rust out”?) Hang in. But be ruthless with your priorities. “Yes” to the best few things always means no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no to many, many good things.
Think hard about what and who gets your time and best swings right now: I think it should be your wife and sons. They are your first line of Kingdom service right now. Saying no to career development (or other ministry stuff, or spending time to get money) so that you can say yes with your presence to your family is NOT a cop out. Erica and the boys are eternal… and, IMHO, should be the first disciples on your list that get your best time and attention and love.
One day they will be gone and then you can pound out other big, cool impact things on your anvil. I’m not wanting to sermonize you, I just think it is very easy for a high achiever like you to spend your best time on good things, when the best are sitting right in front of you. Love you, bro.
I think I understand. It’s not that there aren’t a multitude of important things in my life. It’s just that only one thing can be the most important. And the other important things derive their importance from the ‘one thing’. For me, on this Easter weekend, I’m reminded that the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection is my ‘one thing’. Everything in life that matters draw its importance from Him.
As I think more about this, for me the question becomes what good things need to wait so that I can invest in the best things right now? At this point I really don’t know, but I’m asking the question.
What about you? Are you busy? Are you tired? What’s your ‘one thing’?