Do more of and do less of in 2012

December ought to be a time not just of celebration, but of reflection. Whether it is true that time seems to pass faster when one grows older, time will always a precious commodity. Each second spent is either spent wisely or foolishly. I wonder if we are called to account for our time some day, what would our report card be like?

Proverbs 20:4 (NIV)

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

Over a delightful lunch with an older couple, the husband was complaining to me about his wife's over involvement in ministry. It was merely his loving ways of being concern over his wife's health as she is a cancer survivor. I know where he's coming from. The wife on the other hand feels that she would really like to do the best she can in the remaining part of her life as they both felt God had given them a second chance to come alive spiritually in their 60's. I know where their hearts are. I was waiting for that stroke of wisdom or brilliance from the Lord, which I often would pray when I am stuck and not knowing what else to say. :)

It came. I turned to him and asked him this simple question. "What would your report card and your wife's be like when you meet the Lord one day?" We both know there will come a day when we will be judge too for our rewards. Thankfully God did not list down what the merit points will be. Otherwise, we will all be serving for the wrong reasons!

He asked back, "What do you mean?"

"You agree someday that Jesus will ask us to account for what we have done for Him?"

"Yes."

"What's yours like and what's your wife's"

It seems like something struck him.

He said, "Yah ... never thought of it that way."

His lamenting stopped and I could see a smile on the wife's face. We took the chance to affirm the husband's concern and encouraged the wife to take care of herself too.

That begged question: What would your report card, and mine, be like?

I think it is good to reflect and I did a short exercise with my office colleagues. My question to them was: "What is one thing you would more, and another thing to do less, in 2012?"

That sparked off many interesting discussion in their breakout groups. There will probably be more than one thing. But often, it is better to do one thing and do it well, than to do 10 and do them mediocrely, or not at all. 

Why don't you sit down for an hour and work that through. It may change the way you live out 2012. There are a number of areas you can work through:

• Physical (e.g. exercise, travel)
• Social (more time for leisure, hobbies)
• Emotional (counselling, healing)
• Mental (challenging the mind, reading)
• Spiritual (prayer, Bible, conferences, trainings)

There will definitely be a need to cut down on time wasters and make more time to invest in things that last for eternity and they are inevitably always link to people and relationship.

Apostle Paul had a different way of saying it and that is to "put off" and "put on".

Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Blessed Christmas and a fruitful year of 2012!