The next pattern in the book is Redeem the Time and the first Chapter about it is Life is Just a Minute. After reading them (and the book), I was convinced time management was super important and began working on doing better. I sat down to write about it and … nothing happened. I went through all my old ideas, I exercised, I highlighted the key points, and still … nothing.

The daily devotional I am following has been going over and over how we are the branches, Jesus is the vine, and we can do nothing without Him. I guess the lesson is that without the first Pattern of being about God’s business, being better about time does not mean much.

I am leading a study at church on finances and the big goal is to become a better steward of the financial resources (i.e. money) that God provides us. Mastering Life takes the concept of stewardship and applies it to a resource rarer than money. The book Life After Google also talks about how this resource will dominate the coming digital revolution. Its amazing that this Biblical principle shares so much with success in business.

From the book:

A basic principle of business and commerce is this: Leadership means doing the right things, whereas management means doing things right. When management does things right, we call that efficiency. When leadership does things right, we call that effectiveness.

We must be doing the right things, and we need to be doing them in the best ways.

So, what it this commodity that is rarer than money? Time. (As if it wasn’t obvious by now.) “There’s no making any more time. When a moment is gone, it’s gone forever.” From Dr. J. H. Jewett: “The disciple of Christ is to be an expert merchant in the commodity of time.”

If we are to be a good steward of the resources God has provided, the upmost to be master of is time, the clock, our schedule. And its not enough to be efficient, we must be effective. Until trains came along and people needed watches to not miss the train, people did not need watches to be effective and efficient.

So, if we are to be about our Father’s business, doing the right things, and being efficient with the precious resource of time, we will be a Time Steward. The Bible tells us that our great reward will be to hear “Well done good and faithful servant.” Just as my kids love to hear praise from me, so I yearn to hear praise from my Father.