That one thing

“A lot of ministers are not inefficient, they are deficient.” _Chris Hodges, How to Achieve Maximum Productivity and Rest podcast

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack…” _Jesus to the rich young ruler

*****

I added the above quotation to my quote file today, it’s one I don’t want to forget. And I hope you don’t forget it either.

Hodges was addressing ministers in particular and he was encouraging them to not become deficient spiritually by neglecting their own devotional life.

I wholeheartedly agree, but the concept is applicable in so many other areas.

Ever seen this happen?

The potential Hall of Fame athlete who signs a multi-year/multi-million dollar contact but shipwrecks his career and life because he can’t handle the money and fame.

The rocket ride to the top success story that crashes and burns…not because the person was inefficient but because they were deficient in building meaningful relationships.

Speaking of preachers…how many great preachers can you name who ended up out of the ministry because of a moral failure?

Ever seen this happen – the fresh out of college new manager, who has more book knowledge than anyone in the room but doesn’t take the time to learn the context and culture of the people she’s trying to lead.

Then there’s the good ole boys stuck on their career path, hating their jobs, to in debt to quit, just waiting to retire because they stopped reading, learning, growing.

And you probably can name a bitter person, stuck in the past, who just can’t let go of an offense, forgive and move on and you dread meeting them because all they do is spew bitterness and rehash their old grievances.

On and on I could go.

Good people, competent people, talented people, capable people…but stuck…because they didn’t address the decencies in their life.

The ONE THING for today: Don’t be like the sailors of long ago who were efficient at sailing the wide blue sea but ended up adrift and shipwrecked because they lacked one thing…they had a vitamin C deficiency.

What’s the deficiency holding you back?