Getting Out of the Box

"Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." - John 11:5

Dear Friends in Christ -

Management experts have this grid called the "urgent important matrix." It's a grid with four boxes:
Not Urgent, Not Important
Not Urgent, Important
Urgent, Not Important
Urgent, Important
(if you want to see a picture of this matrix, Google "urgent important matrix')

This past week, I've been living in one of these boxes: Urgent, Important. When emergencies arise, this is where I usually need to be. Where I want to be. Where I can often be most helpful. There's a problem, though, with camping out in the "Urgent, Important" box: the things in the other boxes don't get done!

Jesus spent a lot of time camped out in the "Urgent, Important" box, too. But after a while, he refused to stay there any longer. Healing ("urgent, important" stuff), he said, isn't my first job. Heck, he said, it's not even my most important job; my #1 job is to give glory to God.

I'm sure that Jesus' friends thought that it was a mighty darn inconvenient time for him to make a move from one box ("Urgent, Important") to another box ("Not urgent, Important"). But people - including US - never would have received Jesus' message, never would have known His true purpose, if he stayed in one box.

As we roll into Holy Week, it's crucial that I'm not stuck in the "Urgent, Important" box (visiting the sick, helping folks with emergencies, going to meetings) - but make a move into the "Not Urgent, Important" box - preparing, studying, writing . . . blogging! . . .

I have to confess that getting out of the box - even to write this blog post this morning - feels strange, and risky! I feel concern that folks I care for won't have their needs met. I feel frustration about important things left undone. But years ago, I signed on to be a disciple, and that means following where my Lord has led the way.

And I'm not the only one called to "get out of the box!" You, too, are a disciple. In Holy Week you, too, are called to get out of the "busy box" and spend some time in "Not Urgent, Important." It will save your life.

Faithfully,
Janet+