Biblical time management is often seen in Jesus’ life. Gordan MacDonald uses
many examples of the scripture in chapter 6 where we see how Jesus planned his every move.
MacDonald states “But one never gets the feeling when studying the life of Christ that He ever
hurried, that He ever had to play “catch-up,” or that He was ever taken by surprise.”1
MacDonald then goes on to state, “The first thing that impresses me is that Jesus clearly
understood His mission. He had an overarching task to perform, and He measured His use of
time against that sense of mission.”2 Jesus never let interruptions in his journey bother him.
MacDonald states, “As Jesus approached Jericho, Luke wrote (chapter 18), His ears picked up
the shrill voice of a blind man and He stopped, much to the consternation of both His friends and
critics. They were irritated that Jesus did not appreciate that Jerusalem was still six or seven
hours away, and that they would like to get there to achieve their purpose, the celebration of
Passover.”3 We hear how Jesus knew his limits and never went beyond his means. “He knew
what we conveniently forget: that time must be properly budgeted for the gathering of inner
strength and resolve in order to compensate for one’s weaknesses when spiritual warfare begins.
Such private moments were a fixed item on Jesus’ time budget because He knew His limits.”4
Jesus took time to train and spend time with regular people. He had to invest in their training so
that they could go forth and minister and heal others just as Jesus did.
In chapter seven, MacDonald lists the Laws of Unmanaged time. The first being that we
1.MacDonald, Gordon.@Ordering Your Private World. Revised edition. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2003.p 73.
2. MacDonald, Gordon.@Ordering Your Private World. Revised edition. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2003.p 73.
3. MacDonald, Gordon.@Ordering Your Private World. Revised edition. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2003.p 73.
4. MacDonald, Gordon.@Ordering Your Private World. Revised edition. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 2003.p 75.
tend to spend the majority of time on our weaknesses. We can look at how a person who is not
as gifted in administration will fight to do all administrative tasks instead of spending time with
their employees and training them properly. I see this often in my job where I tend to take on too
much instead of asking others for help.
One of the fundamental laws of time management is that unmanaged time often arises
from external factors that disrupt our plans. These external factors could be people, events or
situations that are beyond our control. In the workplace, this could be an important person
visiting unexpectedly, or auditors showing up for an inspection. When these events happen, we
tend to put our plans aside and prioritize the needs of the external parties. This can cause our
schedule to become unmanageable and result in us not being able to accomplish our goals
effectively. To combat this, we need to find ways to manage external disruptions and create a
more balanced work environment. This could involve setting clear boundaries, communicating
expectations with external parties, and having contingency plans in place for unexpected
situations. By doing so, we can become more efficient in managing our time and achieve our
goals effectively. The third law is the one that unmanaged time succumbs to the demands of all
emergencies, meaning that we tend to bend for anything without prioritizing the seriousness of
the actual event. I work for an airline and many times other stations will call and have an
emergency and it is not the case. Yet, because they make it seem this way we tend to drop
everything and do the task. It takes away the important tasks we actually have to go and do the
station’s task.
The fourth law is unmanaged time gets invested in things that gain public acclamation
which means instead of planning a trip out we tend to wing it and get stuck in situations we
never should have gotten into. For instance, MacDonald uses a trip as an example where he
went to speak at a banquet instead of staying home and preaching the gospel on the street.
Would have cost him less in the end and he probably would have reached more people doing it
closer to home.
Time management is a crucial aspect of our lives, and it is especially important when we
consider it from a Biblical perspective. When we manage our time well, we can achieve our
goals and make progress towards success. I have found that good time management has played a
significant role in my personal and professional development. I attribute this success to God, as I
believe that He has provided me with the resources and opportunities to grow in my faith and
leadership skills.
As a Christian, my goal is to please God by sharing the gospel with others and making a
positive impact on their lives. This requires careful planning and prioritization of my time where
I can focus on activities that align with my values and mission. I have found that by setting clear
goals and creating a schedule, I can make the most of my time and stay on track towards
achieving my objectives.
Recently Gordon MacDonald has provided me with valuable insights and strategies for
optimizing my time at work and outside of work. One of the key takeaways from the book was
the importance of being cautious with both time and money. I realized that I am the only one
responsible for managing these resources and that I need to be mindful of how I use them.
In conclusion, effective time management is crucial for personal and professional
success, and it is particularly important for Christians who want to make a positive impact on the
world. By managing our time wisely and aligning our activities with our values, we can achieve
our goals and fulfill our mission in life.
