Growing up on a farm contributed to my successful career in real estate over the years. And this is obvious. My family still owns a ranch in Pierre, South Dakota, USA, and I go back there often. In this relatively tranquil agricultural setting, among cows, bulls, horses and other livestock, I learned many important lessons.
Among them are what I call “10 Rules for Successful Farming and Living.” I think you will be amazed and enlightened when you read them. Here are all 10 of them:
Although I no longer work or live on a farm, the 10 “rules” listed above continue to serve as a reminder and motivation for how I should approach my responsibilities every day. When I look at my daily to-do list, I often realize that it contains more than I can accomplish. And yet I feel that everything on my list is important and must be done. There are no unnecessary or erroneous items.
The question is, how can I get all these important things done as much as possible? Do I get up earlier than usual - and I already get up early - and work into the night? Experience has taught me that this is not an option. The best approach is to give everything I need to do to the Lord and trust Him to help me get it done.
Psalm 126:2 gives us this understanding: “It is in vain that you rise early, sit late, eat the bread of sorrow, while He gives sleep to His beloved.” Farm work, office work and housework - in each case there will always be much more to do than the time we think we have. Only by relying on God do we find the strength and ability to accomplish our plans.
This does not mean that we stay in bed or sit idly at the table and expect the Lord to complete our tasks without our help. I find a lot of wisdom in the theologian Martin Luther's saying: “Pray as if everything depends on God, and when you have finished, go to work as if everything depends on you.” He also said, “I have so much to do today that I will need to spend another hour on my knees (in prayer).”
Many times I have been forced to spend extra time reading God's Word and praying, and then spend the rest of the day trying to focus on the next "one thing" the Lord has pointed out. With this approach, I strive to please God, not people or myself. I learned that this helps relieve some of the tension and reduce the stress of daily responsibilities. If I think that everything I do is ultimately for the glory of God, then I can be sure that He will be with me and give me strength to do what needs to be done.
Colossians 3:23-24 makes this clear: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that as a reward from the Lord you will receive an inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.” We must do everything “as unto the Lord.” May I (and you) end this day well - for His glory and for the benefit of others.
Ken Korkow lives in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He is the regional director of CBMC. This material is an excerpt from his book “The Fax of Life.” Used with permission of the author.
Questions for reflection/discussion
NOTE. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 12:24, 14:23, 24:27; Ecclesiastes 3:12-13, 4:9-12, 9:10; Colossians 3:17
