Don’t Let the Urgent Crowd Out the Important
Most everyone I know uses some sort of to-do list to keep things organized in their life. One of the frustrating challenges many of us face on a daily basis is figuring out how in the world can we get done all that needs to be done. My to-do lists grow and grow and there never seems to be enough time. Some folks get frustrated and just give up and do whatever hits them that day. Unfortunately that is a receipt for disaster. We fall into what Charles E. Hummel called the “Tyranny of the Urgent.” This little booklet was written decades ago and although he had no idea how enslaved we would become to our instant access internet age this booklet is a relevant and powerful reminder to make sure we get our priorities and values set before we start making to-do lists. You can read it yourself for free by googling, “Tyranny of the Urgent pdf,” or you can pick it up at your local Christian bookstore. I promise you it will be worth the few minutes it takes to read it.
A basic maxim he teaches has stayed with me for 35 years; “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” I believe everyone needs a good time management system to not only get things done quickly, but also most importantly to get the right things done.
Every job description at Brookwood Church includes both a section on character and a section on duties. Most job descriptions I see only address the what; the list of responsibilities and duties that job requires. That section may give you a roadmap of the to-do’s you have to accomplish but it leaves out a fundamental part of your job and responsibilities. Before Brookwood gets to the what, we focus on the who. I read years ago that each of us needs not just a to-do list but also a to-be list. In fact, if you mess up on the to-be or character list it does not matter how great a job you do at accomplishing the to-do lists.
I hope you made some specific and measureable goals for 2012, not just some lame New Years resolutions. But the best goals, those items you really want on a to-do list, flow out of who you are and who you want to become. When the first century church first hit conflict and the future of the church was threatened the church needed strong leaders to stand in the gap and get some things done. Someone had to get a handle on the distribution of food to widows and to deal with all the grumbling and anger. I’m sure there was a list of needed qualifications such as leadership and the ability to organize and handle details. However the two qualifications the church looked for were character related, not to-do list qualifications. They were looking for men who were “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” When the Spirit leads us we are much less likely to let the urgent crowd out the important.
What kind of person are you trying to become in 2012? What character traits are you praying about and working on? I promise you these will be far more important and fulfilling than a resolution to lose weight or save money. Paul tells us to nail to the cross our sinful desires, the things that destroy our character, and to put on the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Let’s focus on our to-be list in 2012 not just our to-do lists.
