Calm before the Storm
When we blink, it takes about one-third of a second.
There are 60 seconds in a minute.
Each minute holds an average of twelve blinks.
We blink 720 times in an hour...
...11,520 times each 16-hour waking day...
...80,640 times each week...
...322,560 times each month...
...and 3.9 million times a year.
High-performing servant leaders work an average of 10-12 hours a day - that's 7.200-8,640 blinks a day. During that timeframe, servant leaders are sought out and issue guidance; plan the next 24 hours, 5 days, 3 months, and 1-year tactical and 5-year strategic actions of their groups; actively seek, find, and optimize opportunities to teach hard-learned lessons; help kids with homework; walk the dog; fix the faucet; unclog the toilet; and negotiate a better deal on the new car. All in less than 9,000 blinks.
But what does a servant leader do when the guidance has been given, the tactical and strategic plans are written, the lessons are being acted on, the homework is done, the house is repaired, and the dog is sleeping?
"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." (Gen 2:2-3, NKJV)
He rests.
A fellow servant leader once told me that when there is too much work to be done, prioritize work that has to be done today and leave work that can be done tomorrow for tomorrow. HIs reasoning? If they wanted it today, they'll want it even more tomorrow.
Servant Leader, don't make work where work doesn't exist. God rested, not just because He had spent six days creating the universe, but because He knew we would need an example - a mentor. He knew that if He never rested, then we'd find a reason not to rest too. We'd say, "If God can create the universe and everything in it and keep on going, then I can keep going in His strength." Then we'd quote Philippians 4:13 right before we passed out from exhaustion.
Ok, so maybe my example is a bit overdramatic, but Servant Leader, if you find yourself with more time on your hands than you're used to, take advantage of the down time God has blessed you with. He knows what's coming down the pipe. He knows you'll need your time now to build up your energy stores because when the dam breaks, it'll be days treading water before you're back on land.
Think of it this way. God knew the task ahead of Noah in rebuilding civilization, so He gave him 40 days of flooding and 150 days before he could set foot on dry land.
Take advantage of the high water and rest in the rocking of the boat. Dry land is coming soon enough.
Then it's back to 8,640-blink days.
(Painting Before the Flood by Abraham Hunter. Courtesy of infinityfineart.com)