I’m so busy sometimes. If you’re a parent with children no comments please. For my stage of life, I’m busy. A symptom of my busyness is my “efficiency complex.”. As far as I know I made up that phrase, buy I’m sure it’s a thing. If not Dibs! Trademark! Copyright! Patent!
What I mean by that is I have a need to do everything ad efficiently as possible. Unfortunately efficiency doesn’t always mean practicality. For example, whenever I return home from shopping I take as few trips as possible to bring up my groceries. I know what you’re thinking “Bryce, that makes sense, who wouldn’t do that?”. I would say most people won’t willingly carry 5 or 6 bags per arm (not an exaggeration). Imagine the weight an strain of that as I walk up the stairs to my condo. Imagine the frustration as I realize I left my keys in my pocket, or in the name of efficiency, hold them in my mouth and have to lift my weighted arm to reach them. How much less strain would I put myself through if I just took trips? Silly me.
What am I getting at? Today our guest speaker spoke about a common Arabic phrase he hears often as a foreigner. Essentially it means “slow down” or “stop and smell the roses” if you like cliches… When we’re out and about focus is good, a loose focus may be better. When I ride my bike, correction rode (it was stolen) I have two options ride full bore, get a good workout and forget the trip OR ride, push myself and recognize the beauty of the area I’m in. When I’m at the store I can avoid the chatty person who will certainly talk more than I want when I just want to get some detergent or I can engage in a friendship and give them a sympathetic ear.
Efficiency is good except to the point that it stops you from experiencing life to the fullest. I think Jesus said he wanted something like that for us or something.
If we look at God’s plan or even Jesus’ ministry on the surface they fail the efficiency test. God, by modern standards, is slacking in the “getting things done” department and Jesus though purposeful seems laxidazical at best with completing his mission. However, I think their level of efficiency is something to learn from. I’ll call it slow burn efficiency. Things are being done and were done at the proper speed and in the best way possible rather than the quickest.
I want to slow down and slow burn. Perhaps my “efficiency complex” is another thing I’m giving up for lent.
Bryce
