Day 68: Leadership Lesson 5

Today’s Big Idea: Managing time well

Key Verse: Acts 20:16

Passage of the day: Acts 20:13-38

Thoughts to consider: Leaders learn to manage time well. Paul gave us a great example of managing time in todays passage.  We often read right past this important part because we aren’t looking for time management in bible stories. As Paul was heading back to Jerusalem, he had to head into port for a few days to rest and restock. The most obvious port in the area was Ephesus. This made sense for many reasons, including the fact that Paul had friends there. But today’s key verse says he “decided to sail past Ephesus.” Instead, he landed in the nearby town of Miletus. Why? So he could “avoid spending time” in the province where Ephesus was located. There are often times when the task at hand is urgent. While serving God’s people is paramount to ministry, leaders have to make the tough decision to sail past places and people that will cost them too much of our limited time and energy so we can do what God has called us to do. This is not our default though, and it wasn’t Paul’s normal routine. But when there are time-sensitive tasks we need to get to, it’s okay to avoid time-draining things (yes including people) for a season in order to get things done. As we get closer to the Fall season, and your ministry is about to launch, your sense of urgency will increase. That urgency should never induce panic, but it will require good time-management and prioritization. That is not an unchristian thing. It is an essential aspect of wise leadership.