Be Productive Like Jesusနမူနာ

When we think of productivity, what comes to mind is a person running around completely task after task. Jesus also completes many tasks: he taught, healed, and spoke with many people during his three years of ministry. He also, however, does everything with intention. Being productive doesn’t mean doing everything. Productivity is actually about being intentional with what we do, and doing it in such a way that we actually have more time, not less.

Imagine if Jesus had written a to-do list every morning and only completed what was written on his schedule. Multiple situations throughout the gospels suggest Jesus was productive exactly because he was intentional with what he said, who he healed, and where he went. The story of the woman at the well is a perfect example of this. The journey Jesus took to get to her was completely out of his way. The woman couldn’t understand why he insisted on talking to her. Only Jesus seemed to understand why this woman mattered. That’s exactly what productivity hinges on: doing what matters. We don’t know how the story continues with this woman beyond verse 28. We can assume Jesus changed her life. We also know how much their conversation impacts us still today.

It is exactly because of these out-of-the-way encounters that Jesus accomplished so much. Jesus had long sessions of teaching and parables. He healed many. He took time to teach his disciples and to rest. He also took time for people like the Samaritan woman at the well. Our productivity can also depend on whom we impact and whom we teach. By investing in others and being intentional in who we impact, our productivity expands beyond what we alone can handle. Certainly, we are just looking at Christ’s intentionality as it relates to productivity; his intentions when speaking to the woman at the well were not limited to that, but also affirming her worth.. As we go to work tomorrow or are at home with our family today, we can also see the intention we can bring into our actions and words. We may be multiplying with every intentional moment.