Oh, that they were wise…

The following is an extract taken from my Bible notes for 29 October. I include it here because it made me think about how I spend my time…

The Bible says: ‘Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!’ One of life’s greatest challenges is thinking and doing the things that ultimately matter and bring success. A life in which anything goes, is a life in which nothing goes. Wisdom means having the discipline to prioritise and the ability to work toward a stated goal. The question is not, ‘Will my calendar be full,’ but ‘Who will fill it,’ and ‘What will it be filled with?’ To know your life’s priorities you must frequently pause and ask: 1) ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ (Acts 9:6 NKJV). 2) What is required of me that nobody else can do? 3) What will bring the greatest return? God doesn’t reward wasted effort, He rewards wisdom.

The story’s told of a lighthouse keeper on a rocky stretch of coastline who received a new supply of oil each month to keep the light burning. Being close to the shore he had lots of guests. A woman from the village needed some oil to keep her family warm; a farmer requested some for his tractor; a mechanic wanted some to lubricate a wheel. All the requests seemed legitimate so the lighthouse keeper tried to please everybody. Before the month was over his oil was gone and the beacon went out. As a result several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. When the authorities investigated, the man was very repentant. But to his excuses and pleading their reply was, ‘You were given oil for one purpose – to keep the light burning.’ Be wise – prioritise!

The above notes we produced by UCB,  for more info go to http://www.ucb.co.uk