Sweat The Small Stuff
“Love the Lord your
God with all your heart…‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37a,
38a
Universities
teach…Businesses live by it…Investors seek for it…Farmers reap from it…and
Destinies are built on it. “What is
it?” you may ask. To some, it is simply
referred to as the 20/80 principle but to others, it’s referred to as the
“Pareto Principle.”
While it sounds more
like a Tom Clancy novel rather than a leadership idea, you’ll quickly find that
when time, energy, money and personnel are concentrated in the right areas, the
benefits are strong. Focus these
things on issues of lesser importance and a lesser return will appear. Studies have shown that individuals and
organizations that learn the priorities of the Pareto Principle will acquire a
four-fold return.
In John Maxwell’s
book, Developing the Leader Within You, he gives several examples of the
20/80 rule that effects almost every field or habit.
1) Time: 20 percent of our time produces 80 percent of
the results.
2) Relationships: 20 percent of the people take up 80 percent
of our time.
3) Products: 20 percent of the products bring in 80
percent of the profits.
4) Reading : 20 percent of the books contain 80 percent of
the content.
5) Work: 20 percent of our work gives us 80 percent of
our satisfaction.
6) Speech: 20 percent of the presentation produces 80
percent of the impact.
7) Finances: 20 percent of the people make 80 percent of
the money.
8) Leadership: 20 percent of the people will make 80 percent
of the decisions.
9) Picnics: 20 percent of the people will eat 80 percent
of the food.
10) Churches: 20 percent of the churches will have 80 percent
of the people.
Understanding this
principle gives invaluable insight as to the reason why there is a large
disparity between extraordinary and average. Though there are certain people who fall into
the right priorities accidentally, they are far less the exception than the
rule. Knowing what to do and following
through with it will distinguish momentum from mediocrity.
Such is the case in
our spiritual lives. It’s one thing
to know what to do. It’s another thing
to do it. As one famous speaker said,
“Christians today are educated beyond our obedience.” We are saturated with Christian television, radio,
CD’s, books, scripture memory and Bible study.
We know what to do. But the
question is, “Do we want to do it?”
In Matthew 22:36-40,
Jesus, the originator of the Pareto Principle, gave solid advice to anyone
looking to reap a sound return. As
an attorney approached Him, he asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment
in the Law?” Jesus said, “Love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like
it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets
hand on these two commandments.”
When you think about
it, it doesn’t seem possible. But it’s
true. Focus your time on these two
“little” things and God guarantees more than a four-fold return. I may not be much of a betting man, but those
are pretty good odds if you ask me.
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1) Why do we have a tendency
to get encumbered by following many laws in the Christian walk?
2) How does loving God and
loving others help us fulfill the rest of them?
Consider reading the Word today:
Copyright 2014- Terry Risser
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