Ahead Of Behind!

How often -- with all we have to do -- do we feel challenged by time or a seemingly lack thereof? Perhaps we are tempted to look for shortcuts. Maybe we frequently find ourselves reprioritizing and even deciding we can just let some things go. Have we ever experienced that "the hurrier" we go "the behinder" we get? It has been long said that "Haste makes waste." Perhaps we have all experienced trying to do something in such a hurry that we ended up having to do it all over again. At one worksite there arose the motto: "Never time to do it right. Always time to do it again."

Solomon advised. . .
"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty." ( Proverbs 21:5 ESV)

The New Living Translation reads: "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." [NLT, © 1997, Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House]

The Message translation reads: "Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind." [© 2002, Navpress]

Here we have the contrast of diligent and CAREFUL PLANNING as opposed to careless and hasty actions. The first provides benefit, while the latter results in loss. Among other things, that loss can be in terms of wasted time, energy, and resources. Therefore we ought to GIVE SOME THOUGHT to the manner in which we undertake the varying tasks of life. Avoiding procrastination is one place to start because putting things off puts us behind before we have even begun! Once we get behind it takes even more determination and energy to get caught up because time does not stop and wait for us to catch up. We need to keep ahead of getting behind by being DILIGENT IN PLANNING and then carrying out the plan. Besides the gain that can be received in life, less anxiety will also be one of its rewards.

Have a great day BEING ATTENTIVE TO THE TASKS AT HAND!
Carl

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