Like many other areas of life, there are two types of people, those who seemingly fly by the seat of their pants and those who like to plan every detail of everything. In reference to finances, the Christian business leader, Dave Ramsey, refers to these two types as nerds and free spirits. The word nerd may sound offensive, but it does get the point across. Scripturally, there is ample evidence for thinking through details before jumping into any project or mission.
The Bible is full of examples of planning. In Genesis, chapter one, God had a very specific plan when creating the universe. Through Joshua, God gave a plan on how the children of Israel were to move into the Promised Land and how the army of Israel was to conquer their enemies. In Nehemiah, there is a plan to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. In the New Testament, even Jesus shared a detailed plan on how to reach the world with the Gospel, beginning in Jerusalem, moving to Judea, then on to Samaria before tackling the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 21:5 gives clear and detailed instructions on what leads to prosperity. There are at least four principles to observe.
- Hard work without good plans will not lead to success.
- Good plans without hard work will not lead to success.
- Taking shortcuts, instead of good planning or hard work, will not lead to success.
- Good plans with hard work lead to success.
How much time do you spend in the planning process? Do you begin each day with a plan for the day? Do you begin each week with a plan for the week? Do you begin each project with a plan for completing the project? New York City pastor, Nelson Searcy, states, “For every minute you spend in planning you save ten minutes in execution.” This week, take the needed time to plan accordingly.
Upon reflection, answer the following questions:
- Are you the type of person that likes to plan things out or are you more of what Dave Ramsey likes to call a free spirit? If you are married, what type of person is your spouse? If you are different, how do you work through this in your relationship?
- Consider Nelson Searcy’s statement, “For every minute you spend in planning you save ten minutes in execution.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Which do you think is more important, good planning or hard work? How can a person excel in both?
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