There are times in our weeks when we have to put aside our schedules to focus on the needs of others. We do this in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our own strength. Jesus was never lazy, but He was also never a workaholic. We can learn from Him in the way that He cared for the needs of others.
One of the most challenging concepts for me and many others is the idea of balancing my schedule. There are so many wonderful opportunities to fill up my time with, but I cannot say yes to everything.
Jesus Himself lived a perfect life and modeled rest, work, and fun. Today we are going to look at the life of Jesus to see what He teaches us about life balance.
Jesus had the perfect balance. First of all, when we look at the life of Christ, we can see how He modeled perfect time management.
1. Jesus Had Rest in Solitude and Prayer
He had His priorities in line. We see that Jesus rested and spent time in seclusion and in prayer. (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:30-32, Mark 6:45-46, Luke 4:42, Luke 5:15-16).
Before and after Jesus would perform a miracle or teach, we see Him pulling away and being alone with God. Even if you are an extrovert, we are all called to be still and know He is God. We need to make sure in our week that we are taking times to be slow, restful, and prayerful.
Jesus invited the Father into His rest. He talked with Him. When planning your week, it is vital to provide down time and quiet time with the Father.
If we are always working and never resting, we are not as productive. I think of Chick-fil-a. They are one of, if not the only fast-food business that is not open on Sundays. They prioritize taking a day off to rest. Even with this day off, their company has made more profit per restaurant than any other fast-food business. Matthew McCreary from Entrepreneur shares, “Chick-fil-a makes more per restaurant than McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Subway combined, and it’s closed on Sundays.”
Sometimes we can feel pressured that if we stop, we lose our potential. This got me thinking about race car driving. Rookie Road shares that drivers need to take pit stops to protect them from blowing a tire and crashing. If a driver never stops, sure he might be ahead for a little while, but the moment his tire blows, he just lost the race. In the same way, we need to be aware that slowing down and having times of rest “refuels us” to be able to give our best in life.
2. Jesus Worked Hard
Jesus was never lazy. He had boundaries, but He upheld integrity and productivity during His whole life. We know that Jesus was a carpenter by trade. Mark 6:3 shares that Jesus was recognized as a carpenter and the son of Mary.
Jesus had a job just like you and me. We know more about His public ministry in His 30’s, but those formative years of humble work with wood were still valuable. Knowing that Jesus was perfect tells me that He would have been faithful in His craft and kind to his customers. Could you imagine purchasing a wooden gift from Jesus, not knowing that He was about to give you the ultimate gift on a wooden cross?
Aside from his daily job of carpentry, Jesus entered into full-time ministry. Jesus taught and performed miracles. He served many hours on behalf of the needs of others (Matthew 4:23). He mentored His disciples and was a faithful son to His mother Mary. Early in His ministry, Jesus healed many people who came to Him (Mark 1:32-34). There are times in our weeks when we have to put aside our schedules to focus on the needs of others. We do this in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our own strength. Jesus was never lazy, but He was also never a workaholic. We can learn from Him in the way that He cared for the needs of others.
3. Jesus Valued People
We see over and over the value of people in Jesus’ life. Good friends are built over time. Jesus teaches us to make time for loved ones. He had relationships with the 12 disciples (Matthew 10:2-3), Mary, Martha, Lazarus (John 10:38), and His mother Mary (John 2:2-12).
Where are you fitting people into your week? Are you making time for loved ones? Creating time for friends and family is important. Whether they live near you or not, it is valuable to invest in and continue the relationships that the Lord has placed in your life. If they live far away, call them. If they live down the road, make plans to meet up. There is a great gift in true friends and family. This may even be spiritual family.
On the topic of community, church is so significant. Whether you are attending a service regularly, involved in a small group, or serving, these are all areas in which Jesus modeled to love God and love people. There is a sweet gift in the fellowship of believers that is worth putting on your calendar during each week.
Jesus teaches us that there is room for variety in our schedules. However, if we hyper-focus in one area we become unproductive or over worked, lonely or socially exhausted. We have to seek His help when making decisions if we should say yes or no to opportunities. Sometimes I have a hard time telling people no because I do not want to disappoint them, however then I let them down even more if I realize that I overwhelmed my schedule and have to back out after already having said, “yes.” Matthew 5:37 says, “But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”
Today, I want to challenge us to examine our life balances and examine our hearts. Is there any area out of balance? How can we look to the life of Jesus as our example of a healthy life? With the help of the Holy Spirit inside of us and the truth off God’s Word guiding us, we can have lives that better model the balance of Jesus Christ.
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