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Margin
by Rick Rigsby
November 2011
In Western culture, we are encouraged to live life to the fullest. Often such a sentiment translates to go go go, do do do, spend spend spend, and buy buy buy! As a result, we Americans are tired, stressed, and desperately searching for balance in life. I don’t know if I’ve just described you, but I certainly fit into the category.
Recently, I’ve been challenged by the teachings of Andy Stanley on margin—that abundance or extra that comes from living with Godly priorities. Stanley asserts that our society pushes us to live on the edge spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially and schedule-wise. And that living on the edge makes little room for extra time with family, emotional stability in arguments or extra money to help those in need. Most of all, living on the edge makes intimate time with God out of the question.
God never intended us to live this way. In fact, the Bible teaches us to “Number our days—that we may present to God a heart of wisdom” (Psalm90: 12). If God is the only one who knows our days, wouldn’t it seem logical to ask for His priorities as to how we should live today? In other words, if you had just the rest of 2011 to live—just two more months—how would your priorities change today? Would you place a higher value on interacting with friends? Would the minor things at work really bother you that much? Would really listening to (instead of merely hearing) your spouse become more important? Would creating meaningful moments with children and others you love become a significant part of your day?
At this point, you’re probably saying, well, I don’t think I’m going to die in a couple months. And, while all this sounds good, the reality is I really don’t have time to even think about margin in my life. How ironic. Consider this statement from Stanley:
Capacity is not determined by how much you can cram into your schedule. Capacity is determined by your priorities.
It’s like loading the trunk of a car. If you throw stuff in, you won’t pack nearly as much as if you systematically prioritized a place for every item. Priority increases your capacity!
After sharing some of these thoughts at a recent Bible study, my friend Brian forwarded an article about margin that included the following statements:
People are on overload and headed for a crash. Consider these statistics among U.S. citizens:
-People now sleep 2 1/2 fewer hours each night compared to one hundred years ago.
-The average work week is longer now than it was in the 1960s.
-The average office worker has 36 hours of work piled up on his or her desk.
-It takes three hours a week just to sort through it and find what we need.
-We spend eight months of our lives opening junk mail.
-We spend two years of our lives playing phone tag with people who are too busy to answer.
-We spend five years waiting for people who are trying to do too much and are late for meetings.
The email concludes with this quote from Dr. Richard Swenson:
The conditions of modern day living devour margin. If you’re homeless we direct you to a shelter. If you’re penniless we offer you food stamps. If you’re breathless we connect you to oxygen. But if you’re marginless we give you one more thing to do. Marginless is being thirty minutes late to the doctor’s office because you were twenty minutes late getting out of the hairdresser because you were ten minutes late dropping the children off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from a gas station and you forgot your purse. That’s marginless.
We all know that we need more margin in our lives. The critical question is how do we acquire more? One simple adjustment may be a starting point for you. When evaluating future commitments, instead of saying, “let me look at my calendar and get back to you,” try saying:
Is it the wise thing to do?
Don’t ask, is it the right thing or wrong thing or popular thing . . . but
Is it the wise thing to do? And where does the wisdom come from to help you make the right decision? When you become aware that your days are numbered—you become mindful that you are not going to live forever and your priorities need to reflect His priorities. As your top priority becomes spending time with God, He gives you wisdom for the day, which expands your capacity—your time, your resources, even your attentiveness to listening.
Dear God,
Teach me to number my days that I may present to you a heart of wisdom. I desire greater margin in my life. I am tired from hurrying and worrying all the time. I desire time to think and relax and enjoy this life You have given me. Father, teach me that when I make time for You, You grant the kind of wisdom that expands my capacity. Lord, I believe I am ready to be still . . . and know that you are God!
You need margin in your life - Time to think, Time to relax, Time to enjoy life, Time to be still and know that God is God. (Psalm 46:10).
Rick Rigsby Communications ©2011
