Stephen Covey writes:

To live a more balanced existence, you have to recognize that not doing everything that comes along is okay. There's no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is realizing that it's all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities.

Habit 1, Being proactive is about choice. Habit 2, Beginning with the End in Mind is about vision. Habit 3 is where Habits 1 and 2 come together. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But that's not all it's about. Habit 3 is about life management as well--your purpose, values, roles, and priorities. What are "first things?" First things are those things you, personally, find of most worth. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established in Habit 2.

OUR CONTEXT:

Related Values:

• Love God
• Love Others
• Love Yourself
• Accept Responsibility
• Be a Leader

Summary:

• How we spend our time reflects our values
• We can see what is important to someone by how much time they spend on it
• Set priorities and live by them, putting the most important things first
• Put God first in everything

A Good Example: Cornelius (Acts 10)

• Cornelius was a Roman Centurion
• He loved God and put him first
• His love for God was shown by his prayer and gifts to the poor
• He and his family became the first gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit

A Bad Example: The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-22)

• This young man had great wealth
• He had obeyed all the commandments
• He could not part with his money
• He could not put God first
• He went away sad

Other verses:

• Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
• Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honour your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth." (Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV)
• Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5 NIV)

Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies, He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the Church. (Ephesians 5:28-29 NIV)

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing. (Proverbs 20:4 NIV)

Children's Story: Work First, Then Play