LeaderLines -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

Self-Control in a Wired World
by Tom Goodman
October 2, 2009

I discovered something about myself a long time ago: I'm capable of being a really sophisticated procrastinator.

Yep. If I'm not watching myself, I can let busyness pass for business.

Laziness, I would smugly think, was not my problem. No, Proverbs 6:10-11 wasn't written for me:

A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,
And poverty will come on you like a robber.

But I began to notice that I had another thief to steal away my productivity. Not laziness, for me, but busyness. And I think busyness just may be the more sneaky thief.

Laziness is easy to spot. Think chips and soda while sitting on the sofa watching a talk show. Not my problem.

But busyness? It gives you the satisfaction of action while robbing you of any real production. It's finishing the news magazine article when you should really be writing your report. It's organizing your to-do list when you should really be punching things off it. It's even found in doing something that you hired office staff to do just so you can avoid what you were hired to do.

And then, lo, there appeared the computer, then the internet, and then the wifi-enabled smartphone. Crack for busyness-addicts!

We need to make sure that our productivity tools are making us, well, productive. That's why I like this 7-minute clip from Josh Harris. It's from a sermon on Proverbs 6, and he suggests we could paraphrase it in this way:

A little web-surfing
A little Facebook
A little folding of the hands around your smartphone
And spiritual poverty will come on you like a robber.

So, take a look at this clever clip and let the Spirit convict you of any way you've let busyness keep you from the things you should really be doing:

Watch the clip here

--Tom

LeaderLines is a weekly "e-briefing" providing valuable information and inspiration to those who serve at Hillcrest Baptist Church.

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Self-Control in a Wired World by Tom Goodman October 2, 2009 I discovered something about myself a long time ago: I'm capable of being a really sophisticated procrastinator. Yep. If I'm not watching myself, I can let busyness pass for business. Laziness, I would smugly think, was not my problem. No, Proverbs 6:10-11 wasn't written for me: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest, And poverty will come on you like a robber. But I began to notice that I had another thief to steal away my productivity. Not laziness, for me, but busyness. And I think busyness just may be the more sneaky thief. Laziness is easy to spot. Think chips and soda while sitting on the sofa watching a talk show. Not my problem. But busyness? It gives you the satisfaction of action while robbing you of any real production. It's finishing the news magazine article when you should really be writing your report. It's organizing your to-do list when you should really be punching things off it. It's even found in doing something that you hired office staff to do just so you can avoid what you were hired to do. And then, lo, there appeared the computer, then the internet, and then the wifi-enabled smartphone. Crack for busyness-addicts! We need to make sure that our productivity tools are making us, well, productive. That's why I like this 7-minute clip from Josh Harris. It's from a sermon on Proverbs 6, and he suggests we could paraphrase it in this way: A little web-surfing A little Facebook A little folding of the hands around your smartphone And spiritual poverty will come on you like a robber. So, take a look at this clever clip and let the Spirit convict you of any way you've let busyness keep you from the things you should really be doing: Watch the clip here --Tom LeaderLines is a weekly "e-briefing" providing valuable information and inspiration to those who serve at Hillcrest Baptist Church. Do you know friends who would appreciate LeaderLines? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to LeaderLines? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail.