FOLLOW THE LEADEROswald Sanders wrote this about Paul’s use of time – which is a timely
model for every effective leader:
We are not responsible for our endowments or natural abilities, but
we are responsible for the strategic use of time. When Paul urged
the Ephesians to ‘redeem the time,’ he was treating time like
a purchase. We exchange time in the market of life for certain
occupations and activities that may be worthy or not, productive
or not...Herein lies the importance of a carefully planned life: ‘If
we progress in the economy of time, we are learning to live. If
we fail here, we fail everywhere.’ Time lost can never be retrieved.
Time cannot be hoarded, only spent well.^4That’s an incredible quote! It represents so much wisdom and insight
into the most basic aspect of living – the stewardship of time. As Sanders
wisely points out, when we fail in the use of time, we fail everywhere else!
When we begin to discipline our time – master our moments – then we are
on the road to leadership success!
The Apostle Paul was obviously a man who understood kairos, or time
from God’s perspective. He spoke prophetically and lived strategically. That’s
why he accomplished so much in his lifetime. It was because he knew
that he was living in the “...last days” of redemptive history (II Tim.
3:1), that he wanted to wisely use whatever chronos time God gave him.
He sought to maximize every moment for the Kingdom of God! You can
hear his sense of urgency when he reminded the Church at Corinth: “...
the time is short!” (I Cor. 7:29).
Principle:
“Since the times make the leader, and the leader
makes the times, strategic leaders need a good sense of
timing, so they will know when to seize the moment.”In everything we do, we make a “time purchase. ”Time is the currency with
which we pay for life. We exchange a certain portion of time for everything
we do. Each payment of time can never be repeated – it is a one-time
purchase that allows no exchanges. We should approach each day with
the following awareness: