“Pablo Casals, the great cellist, was asked why, at eighty-five years of age, he continued to practice five hours a day.  He replied, ‘Because I think I’m getting better’.

Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool. (Proverbs 17:10)

Why are 98% of all small businesses (and ministries) like a row boat?
Guess what you are most likely doing in the boat?

As I mentioned in yesterday’s devotional, January 15 was a breakthrough day. In the morning, Michael Stay officially launched “The Weekly Trio.” In the evening I drove to Richmond Virginia for the annual membership meeting for the Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists (VSA). This was the first time I ever attended this. God blessed my obedience by allowing me to establish personal connections with the President of the VSA, the President-Elect for the American Society of Anesthesiologists, and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell.

These kinds of connections don’t happen haphazardly. They come about because of all the time I spend resting and reflecting, which open the door for new revelations from the Holy Spirit. It’s what I call the “G” (God) factor. Here is an excerpt from yesterday “Weekly Trio” by Michael Stay:

Success begins the moment we understand that life is about growing; it is about acquiring the knowledge and skills we need to live more fully and effectively.  Life is meant to be a never-ending education, and when this is fully appreciated, we are no longer survivors but adventurers.” – ‘Even Eagles Need a Push’ by David McNally
 
Consider for a moment, that your business is competing in a marketplace that is like a huge lake — your challenge each day is to successfully cross that lake.  The most common choice of a vehicle – a row boat.  For most small businesses, that accurately depicts your daily journey – you alone, in a row boat madly rowing.  Or maybe you have grown to a point of having employees, now you and a few others are madly rowing together.  Or perhaps you have learned to delegate, so you serve as the coxswain – barking out encouragement and orders to the others tirelessly rowing the boat.
 
While the row boat will likely get you across the lake each day, it will be slow, exhausting for you and/or your employees, and has the potential to end in disaster on any given day if a mighty storm rises up while you are in the middle of your trip. 

Also, regardless of your position in the boat, you are going to have a hard time seeing the distant horizon of a greater vision while you are busily rowing (if you are always working in your business, no one is working on your business). But what if you had chosen a sail boat, that allowed you to leverage the wind, and travel at a faster speed with less effort on your part.  Did you even know a sail boat was an option?
 
So, here is your first challenge:  Carve out at least half a day from your life and step back to really analyze what you have been doing – what is the condition of your boat really?  Look over at the marina to see what other kinds of boats are out there.  If you want to know a tricord of leverage – here it is – Rest/Reflection/Revelation.  But it has only one sequence or order – first Rest then Reflection then Revelation.
 
When was the last time, you took half a day — the first part of the day, when you are fresh,
– not to madly row, but to REST;
–  not to repeat the same actions again, but for REFLECTION on what is working, what’s not working, what your competition is really doing differently, what your customers say about you, what your employees are saying about you and the business; and
–  not to just do what you know, but to seek and gain REVELATION.

Prayer Power
Father, You tell us in Your Word to “Be Still and Know that I Am”.  Convict us to take at least 1/2 day to rest, reflect and gain revelation.  Uncommon wisdom comes from uncommon actions – help us to slow down – to stop, in order to cross the lake faster and with much less effort.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Link of the Day
Reflections on Biblical headship – by Don Schonberg

Blessings to carve out at least half a day from your life and step back to really analyze what you have been doing!