But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand. Isaiah 32:8
This is the eleventh in a series of posts in a book I am reading on my Philippines trip. It contains leadership insights from the most victorious team in sports history (winning percentage = 86% as of the writing of the book): The All Blacks, The New Zealand National Rugby Union Team.
“There’s an old story about J.P. Morgan, the banker and philanthropist, who was shown an envelope containing a ‘guaranteed formula for success’.
He agreed that if he liked the advice written inside he would pay $25,000 for its contents. Morgan opened the envelope, nodded, and paid. The advice?
1. Every morning write a list of the things that need to be done that day.
2. Do them.”
J.P. Morgan story as quoted by James Kerr in Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business of Life (London: Constable, 2013) 129.
With my GTP staff, we are mapping out our faithful activities in planning documents and then going after them. As a team leader I find it’s the only way to get the work done that God wants us to do.
If there is such a thing as a guaranteed formula for life and generosity I think it would go something like this: “We must be faithful and do what God made us to do, if we want to be fruitful.”
I found it interesting that today’s Scripture, is also translated in the NLT as follows: “But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.”
Today Jenni and I are flying home from Manila via Tokyo. On these long flights I generally get some sleep and when I am awake, I turn my attention to spending time with God and discerning with Him the next work to do.
I would encourage you to live, give, serve, and love with a similar sense of focus. Get the rest you need then spend time with God and make a list of the work to do and deploy all you are and all you have.
Focus on being faithful and doing faithfully and the fruit will take care of itself.