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Overload Three: “Places to Go, People to See” If there is one type of Overload that I won’t have to spend very much time at all explaining, it is the overload of work and activity. We’ve all got places to go, people to see and things to do. And most of us, a great majority of us, do not have enough time and energy to do it all. The story of Martha and Mary always resonates with modern Christians. Every time I preach the story, I have somebody come up to me and say, “Pastor, I may be a Martha, but without the Marthas, who would get God’s work done?” Ah--the world has corrupted us to think that busyness is God’s design. It is not. Love is God’s design. And when busyness invades the space to love…Jesus offers the critical word. “Martha, Martha, you are busy in too many things. Occupied with too many things. Mary has chosen the better portion.” Hear it? When did the word “multi-tasking” come into our vocabulary? It came with the advent of the personal computer. As computer memory increased, it could do more than one thing at once without slowing down. Finally, we decided, humans should be able to “multi-task” and in fact, business seminars were devoted to the idea--in order to make the American worker more efficient. But multi-tasking isn’t just for the workplace, it’s invaded our homes. In fact, there is now a website called multi-tasking mommy for those who are trying to do it all--and feeling overwhelmed. Though I doubt most multi-tasking mommies would have the time or energy to visit the website. Richard Theme suggests that when people try to do two things simultaneously, we take about 30% of our attention off of the primary task. Everyone’s busy. We’re working as a nation more than ever, with overtime hours increasing every year through the 90’s and now the 2000’s. We’re buffeted with thousands of choices for what once was our “leisure” time. Our kids are busier than ever. School days now start before school and end after school. This fall, Syd started her school day at 7 a.m. with pre-band band class and marching, and ended it at 7 when she finally made it home from volleyball practice. A quick bite to eat, and an hour or more of homework put her just about ready to collapse into her bed to rise again the next morning at 6 to start it all over. The tragic thing is, she is not the exception, but the rule for our overextended kids today. Sports in schools are supplemented with sports camps and special leagues. How many families are forced to choose between sports and church on Sundays as games have taken over the weekends? Church unfortunately has become just another activity. And, I’m afraid, one that comes too far down the list among our priorities. If we have to cut something out… well, we know where the blade falls all too often. But when we say no to study, spiritual formation, or an opportunity to serve God, we are robbing ourselves of the opportunity to connect our souls with God and God’s work. Is it because we don’t want to? No--it’s because we’re too busy. Do you know what a busy signal is? No not the old “beep beep beep” on the telephone line when your trying to reach someone who is on another call. I’m talking about when you ask someone if they would like to volunteer or help with something in church, and you hear the busy signal. “Oh, well…I don’t know. I’ll have to get back to you…I’ve really got a lot of things going on right now.” Research from the University of Iowa tells us that it now takes 20 to 30 phone calls in the average church to get the same number of volunteers as it used to take two to three calls. Why? Because we’re overloaded, and we can’t say yes to something as rewarding as serving God, because we’ve said yes to so many other things!
Ironically, activity and work overload is making us more lonely.
Isn’t that a kick? Here’s why--by the time we’ve worked our 40 to 50 or maybe
even 60 hours, and tried to fit in some of our kids’ or grandkids’ activities,
the ball games, concerts, what-have-you. There’s precious little energy left
for making friends, or worse yet, keeping them. I’ll bet I’m describing some
of your lives….busy, active, seeing lots of people, but ultimately, no deep or
lasting friendships. When was the last time you had a friend or group of
friends into your home? Or, have gone to another friend’s home for the
evening? In 1850, the average American got over 9.5 hours of sleep a night. By 1950, that had decreased to 8 hours. Currently it is under 7 hours. That’s going to bed at 11 and rising at 6. Now then, how many of you think that would even be a luxury? Our ancient church father Augustine talked of the active life and the contemplative life. While both had an important role to play, the contemplative life--being the domain of reflection, meditation and prayer--was considered of greater value. (Quoted from Overload Syndrome, Swenson) It is the better portion. We often equate God with busyness…surely inactivity is sloth, and a sin. But remember, God created both activity AND rest. And our lives are to be composed of both. So here are some prescriptions to find some margin in a busy busy world. At first you might not like them…but I want you to consider one or two that you could realistically do…to create margin in an overloaded life. PRESCRIPTIONS Rx 1 Prioritize ? Get priorities from God’s word ? Seek FIRST the kingdom of God, and everything else, later ? People are always more important than things. Always.
Rx 2 Practice saying NO, even to good or worthwhile things ? Practice--stand in front of a mirror and repeat the word “no” until you are good at it. ? No is not an excuse for noninvolvement. It is a mechanism for living by our priorities, allowing God to direct our lives rather than the world. ? No preserves our vitality for the things that really matter
Rx 3 Slow the Pace of Life on purpose ? Put on the brakes and obey the speed limit of your soul. ? Did you hear the choir anthem this morning? “Slow me down, Lord, I’m moving too fast. Don’t know my own brother when he’s walking past. Miss the best things o’ life, day by day. Don’t know a blessing, when it comes my way.” ? Recognize that busyness and hurriedness are traps of pride. “We have some confessing to do,” Swenson states. “It is not busyness that we should honor in our midst, but love. Busyness and love are not the same. One is speed. The other is God.”
Rx 4 Be a tortoise, not a hare. ? Life is a marathon, not a sprint. ? Avoid shortcuts. They take too much time in the long run. ? To finish first, take your time.
Rx 5 Schedule Margins ? In today’s world, margins don’t just “happen.” They have to be carved out. ? “X” out a day or half day on your calendar and resist the temptation to fill it. ? Pull back--cut out something, then, leave the space blank on your calendar or schedule that that activity used to occupy.
Rx 5 Know the difference between Chronos and Kairos. ? Chronos is clock time. Measurable, quantified, dictatorial. ? Kairos is God time. Siginificant, meaningful, quality time. ? Chronos is where the world lives. ? Kairos is where Jesus lived.
Rx 6 Practice Sabbath REST ? “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” ? In a survey of Working Mothers readers, 95% look forward to weekends to rest. But 52% were MORE exhausted at the end of the weekend than they were before. Why? ? If you must participate in activity on your Sabbath, ask, “does it restore me and draw me closer to my Creator?”
To be sure, activity is good. Work is good. But we often fail to remember, rest is good. A relationship with God is good. In fact, these are not just good, they are “better.” Like Mary, we might all discover margin to choose the better portion. Next week, financial overload, and the overload of debt and possessions.
Thanks for dropping by: Guest #
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