Every day, for the past 40+ years, my dad takes a peanut butter & jelly sandwich to work for lunch. The only exception was when the local Mexican restaurant had a Wednesday enchilada special.

In addition to that, he has a daily “routine” which includes exercising before & after work, reading the Bible and praying in the evening with my mom then asleep by 9 p.m..

So, the fact that I am a structured person shouldn’t surprise you. It is part of my DNA.

Case in point: My husband & I had lunch plans yesterday so I asked him what time he wanted to leave. The reason I asked is because I wanted to plan my morning accordingly. We finalized a time and I proceeded to carry on with the stuff on my to-do list.

Then it happened.

He said, “Hey babe”.

“Yeah?”

“What time are we leaving?”

“11:15” (which was the time we discussed just 2 hours ago).

“Oh…” (his voice sounding very disappointed).

“Why?” I ask nervously because I know what this usually means.

“Can we leave a little earlier?”

Silence because I am screaming on the inside.

Doesn’t he know that I have strategically planned every single thing to the minute so I would be ready at 11:15 and not a second sooner?

There was a workout to be done, dishes to be washed, laundry that needed folding…plus it would be really nice if I showered and brushed my teeth.

See? This apple didn’t fall too far from the peanut butter and jelly eating tree.

Structured is good. Structured people get important things done, for themselves and really for others too.

However, I’m recognizing that there’s more to life than getting things crossed off my to-do list.

What about what’s on God’s to-do list for me?

I think about the kind of life that Jesus lived. Was there ever anyone with a greater mission on earth?

In spite of that (or maybe because of that), He still MADE time for the children who just wanted to be with Him and for the woman at the well whose life needed some guidance. His life was spent pouring into the lives of people, often in the unplanned moments.

…usually on His way to something else.

Being structured is who I am. But being God’s servant is also who I am.

Paul starts out his letter to the church in Rome with this… “Paul, a SERVANT of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…”.

This term, servant, in the Greek refers to someone who has no ownership rights of their own and lives under the authority of Christ. So basically, a servant’s life isn’t about their agenda, it’s about God’s agenda.

I don’t necessarily need to change my personality but there are adjustments that I can make to be sure I am living life as God’s servant.

Here’s my prayer: Lord, you know how I am and how I am wired. I understand that being structured is a strength but I also recognize it can also be a weakness – I am so regimented that it is hard to drift from that even when someone is in need. Help me to have a heart like Yours that would leave the 99 sheep to find the one who wandered off. Lord, enable me to prioritize what is really important to You all the while thriving as the person You have made me to be. Amen.

Ok – gotta go – we have to be somewhere at 12:30 and we are leaving in 2 hours. (At least I think we are). ~Anu

 

by anitha

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