You will never know so much that you don’t need oth-
ers to coach, lead, and mentor you. Take care of important matters first and the urgent
matters will take care of themselves.
Every person needs people who are above and beyond them
to offer advice, constructive criticism, and honest evalua-
tion. When we fail to surround ourselves with people who
will challenge and grow us, we are setting ourselves up for
failure.
One of the greatest yet most difficult lessons to learn is
that we need the objective input of others in our life. We
also need to learn from those who might be under us or
not as far down the road of life as we are. Often those who
live in our home or work under us see our weaknesses in a
far greater light than we do. When we are willing to receive
constructive criticism and advice from others, we move
closer to the success in life we hope for. You are going to be tempted to get so caught up in making
a living that you forget to make a life. You must learn to
ask yourself questions like: On the day of my death, what
kind of life will I wish I had lived? Once you determine the
answer to this question, start laying out your long-term
plan to reach your goals.
We live surrounded by selfish people in a culture that
wants everything instantly: The blessings of wealth without
the hard work and time it takes to earn it. Sex without
the commitment of marriage and abortion to cover up
irresponsibility. A new spouse without caring about the
devastation it brings on children.
If you live like many in this culture, you will run from one
urge to another and never accomplish anything significant.
However, if you choose to make the important issues of life
a high priority—like faithfulness to God, your spouse, your
children, and your calling in life—someday you will have
a pile of blessings higher than you ever dreamed possible.
A successful life is not built overnight. It is built one
moment at a time, one right decision after another. It’s liter-
ally that simple. Do the righteous thing over and over again
and someday you will reap a harvest of precious blessings.
However, if you live according to the whims of the flesh and
live to instantly gratify your every desire, you’ll wake up
someday with a broken and shattered life.
I’ve been watching sinners and saints for almost 50 years.
I can tell you with absolute certainty: those who follow
Christ with all their heart and life and who take care of
important matters first, end up in a much better place in
this life and in the life to come.
People matter more than organizations or causes.
Organizations and causes come and go, but people will
be here forever. Invest your life in the wellbeing of others.
Always choose the best interests of those you live with, work
with, and interact with.
Pay attention to people—all of them. I like to watch how
people treat others who seem to be insignificant in the
world’s eyes. When I see someone pay attention to a child
when no one’s looking, I trust that person a little more.
When I hear that a person cares for a shut-in neighbor and
doesn’t get paid for it, I trust that person a little more. If you
will obey the second part of the greatest commandment and
love your neighbor as you love yourself, you will have great
impact on your part of the world.
When people really matter to you, you won’t use them
and abuse them for your selfish means. You won’t see some
as throw-aways because they have little to offer you, finan-
cially or otherwise. You won’t sacrifice an employee’s family
just so you can live an easier life. You will speak the truth in
love because your greatest desire isn’t to be liked or popular
but rather to truly help those around you.
People matter more to God than organizations or causes.
Therefore, meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional
needs of the people God surrounds us with should be a
driving motivation of our lives. Your influence upon people
will last forever!
34
The only thing that will guarantee you a successful
life is an unwavering commitment to the Word of God
and a deep and meaningful relationship with Christ.
At this stage in your life, you have no idea what life is going
to bring your way. I can promise you there will be moments
of exhilaration beyond anything you can imagine, and there
will be moments of devastation you never thought
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