"Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as we make use of. One person gets a week's value out of a year while another person gets a full year's value out of a week."
Charles Richards
We, as a local church, have just come off of one of our most anticipated events of the year: Pastor Luis Martinez' visit from Guatemala. Luis is the pastor we worked with in 2009, and the one we're preparing to work with again in 2011 (contact me if you're interested in building homes, clothing children & sharing the Gospel with us!). His ministry is called, IMPACTO, because they are committed to impacting the lives of both the people in his country and in ours through interaction on behalf of God's purposes.
I couldn't help but link his ministry to the above thought, though I confess, I don't even remember where I first saw it. Mr. Richards strikes on one of the key truths of life: our impact is largely determined by us. In other words, what we get out of life is more often than not determined by how we approach it.
Who hasn't known someone who was a master of idleness? Someone who could take more time doing less work than anyone you've ever known (hopefully this isn't you). One of the challenges I've always given to my kids was originally left with me by my Dad: Give an honest days work for an honest day's pay and you'll never be unemployed for long, if at all.
At the core of this counsel is the observation that a huge number of people are looking not to do the above, but to do as little as possible while making as much as they can. They have yet to discover the almost magical truth of Mr. Richards...and the Bible (see Luke 16:10-12). These are the ones who get a week's value out of a year.
By God's grace, this dare not be us as Christians! May we be among those who can "do twice the work in half the time" - not because we're a "whirling dervish" - but because we embrace each day as an opportunity for impact and refrain from pursuing a degree in idleness.
So, how many days are left in your year? The decision and the power are yours, granted to you by Almighty God. What you do with what is given to you will make all the difference in the world...and in the world to come. Let's make an impact today!
