Someone once asked R.C. Sproul–author of over 40 books and thousands of lectures–what he most regretted in his ministry. Sproul replied: “How much time I wasted!” When I heard him say that, I did not know how to relate to it at any level. Here is the world’s premier defender of Reformed orthodoxy who up to his last years of life was being productive and fruitful in the kingdom saying that he was ashamed of how much time he wasted.
Now, Sproul was no gnostic. He understood the importance of rest and relaxation. He was an avid movie watcher, golfer and a fanatical Steelers’ fan. In fact, the few memories I have of talking with him in a larger group was hearing his detailed analysis of the Steelers’ chances for the next NFL season. As a soccer fan, I did my best to act interested in the conversation because it was after all R.C. Sproul. I relate those facts because R.C. still believed he wasted time though his labors will probably live on for centuries.
As an adult Christian I have read a myriad of books on productivity. I consider myself someone who is always looking for the next project. There are things I am currently working on that folks will never know until it is completed. I have a goal to write around 500 words a day whether on an FB post or an article or a dissertation. It’s a habit I’ve had for years. Some of these things will never see the light of day, but it’s a fruitful activity nevertheless.
I have familial goals; husbandry goals and even keep a journal of my comings and goings to keep myself in check. On most days I try to get up before everyone else so I can get ahead of the world. It’s an annoying aspect of my personality that my family is grown accustomed. Yet, what I discover about myself daily is that I do not have a healthy theology of work.
What I mean is that often I don’t view work as the Bible views it. In Douglas Wilson‘s new book, “Ploductivity,” he elaborates on the nature of doing work. Quoting Peter Drucker, Wilson observes that there is a distinction between “efficiency” which is doing things right and “effectiveness” which is doing the right things. The efficient person has a mechanical dimension to him. He produces like a printing machine designed to print words on paper all day long. It does its job efficiently. But the Christian is called to a higher calling. As Psalm 1 says, he is like a tree planted by streams of living waters. We are to be effective. Work and productivity serve the purpose of fruitfulness. We work not merely to produce like machines, but we work to bear good fruit which serves as a benediction to others.
In many ways, the missing element of productivity ought to be its accompanying thankfulness. When productiveness is divorced from gratitude, we are no better than the pagans. If we are given the ability and capacity to produce, but yet treat our labors as a manufactured side-effect of our productivity we have missed the point altogether. But if our work is the acceptance of wealth as a gift; if, as Wilson notes, we treat the blessings of technology with fullness (technofulness), we are better prepared to view our labors unto the Lord.
Too often we work without purpose. It is too common to labor and produce without bathing our typing and accounting in thankfulness. I too regret and repent wasting time. Ultimately, I repent of being productive without God, which ultimately bears no fruit.
