Visualize with me, for a moment, a familiar scene. It’s an easily identifiable setting – one possibly located only a few miles from where you are reading this book. A prominent structural engineer has situated his entire fleet of multi-million-dollar construction equipment at a brand new building site for a massive skyscraper. However, as he walks onto the site, not a single blueprint is anywhere to be found. Furthermore, imagine, if you can, that this engineer’s personnel are ordered to erect iron beams and assemble steel posts having never been provided with specific blueprints to follow. The result of such an event would be nothing short of disastrous, wouldn’t it? So why is it any different with our lives? Shouldn’t the plan for your life and mine be given much greater thought than that of a mere man-inspired, steel-and-iron skyscraper?
No matter where we’ve come from or who we claim to be, God purposefully grants us each moment of our existence. So what will you and I return to Him, as we breathe our last breath? The answer to that question is found in our daily decisions. No one can force us to get off the couch and exercise, eat the right foods, read stimulating books, attain higher education, build healthy relationships, or love God. Each individual must make those choices for himself. You have been given the privilege of making what is commonly known as an “executive” decision. Why? It’s primarily because you are a steward over your own life. Sure, from time to time you are explicitly assigned varied guidelines and instructions, but the majority of your decisions are yours alone to make.
The greatest commodity we have is LIFE, which is measured by and made up of TIME. The question, “What are you going to do with your life?” is synonymous with “What are you going to do with your time?” Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the rich are rich because life haphazardly bestowed wealth upon them but chose not to endow it upon the impoverished. No, the clear disparity between the prosperous and the poor lies in the means by which they choose to invest their time. Your choices determine your destiny.
People are interesting aren’t they? Let’s put this in perspective and compare our friend Jim to a fellow we’ll call Harry. Jim appreciates good music and loves to socialize with other people. He enjoys watching movies and staying up late, which usually causes him to oversleep. On the way to work, Jim listens to music or the tedious chatter of news radio. When he comes home, Jim plops on the couch to relax. He likes to watch TV while reading the newspaper or scanning a current magazine. Because Jim doesn’t relish being alone, he frequently occupies his time fraternizing with his friends. He isn’t quite clear where his life is heading, but he knows he desires to do great things. And let me not forget, Jim makes sure he is in church each and every Sunday.
Now the other fellow, Harry, is an avid learner. He spends a couple of hours, every day, working on improving himself, reading books, and journaling his discoveries. Although he also loves people, he is willing to sacrifice time with others in order to prepare for the future he desires. On the way to work, he routinely listens to personal development teachings. When Harry comes home from work, he invests time in his health by exercising. And because he desires to expand in the business world, he does so by learning a new skill, which can be utilized on the job. Harry watches only a modest amount of television; he would much rather use the time to review both his goals and the plan he has mapped out to reach those goals. Harry also goes to church and takes notes, usually sitting in the same row as Jim, the two often greeting one another like old friends.
Now let me ask you, which one do you think will live a more fulfilled and prosperous life? Did you say Harry? Of course! Harry chooses to employ time as the tool through which he can accomplish his dreams and fulfill his goals.
