In seeking to be a good steward with our lives, one area that cannot be overlooked is time management. In Stephen Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” he talks thoroughly about this subject. Although many generations have attempted to perfect time management through the use of programs and planners, times and things Covey says we should focus on “preserving and enhancing relationships and on accomplishing results.”

This reminds me of a story told by one of my professor’s at seminary. He shared how when he was president at a college one of the problems he faced was enrollment. He began to realize that it was not because of academics but had more to do with a broken fountain in the front of the school that the groundskeepers would not fix. He built relationships with the groundskeepers by actually getting his hands dirty and working alongside them to help these problems. Therefore, the groundskeepers began to feel appreciated and began to take pride in their work. The landscape of the school no longer served as deterrence to potential students but was instead a great asset.

I think we can all agree that relationships matter and help produce incredible results. Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, teach us this more than anyone. He did not carry around a calendar or a planner but instead invested in the lives of others….our lives…and we know firsthand His effectiveness in our lives. May we learn from Christ and build up those around us because investing in the lives of others produces big results in our limited time.