15, No 17 Things I Wished I Had Learned Before Turning 50 (Part 2)

15, No 17 Things I Wished I Had Learned Before Turning 50 (Part 2)

Here are the next several lessons that I have learned, and in fact, I should clarify – I am still learning:

6. Choose your battles wisely. Do you remember these words? 1 TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: 2 A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, [Heb. 9:27.] 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, 7 A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, [Amos 5:13.] 8 A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. [Luke 14:26.] – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Amplified Bible)

The point I think is obvious. There is a time to speak and a time to listen. There is a time to shut up and a time to speak up. Some things are not worth quibbling over.

Our friend, Betsy Shoppy, said that God invented duct tape for parents with grown kids. If you are a parent, you understand that there are times you need to speak – but there are times when you need to shut up and pray.

I think that is true in leadership. Ask God to give you the discernment to know what battles to choose.

7. Guard your time with your family. I remember years ago a lady from our home church pulling me aside right after Jan and I were married. She said, “Learn from our mistakes.” Our church was wonderful. But there was stuff going on every night of the week, and some of the men were there for everything, and that caused them to neglect their families. She wisely said, “What will it profit a man if he serves the Lord every night at church and loses his own family.”

Several weeks ago I was placed in a quandary. We had planned a special time for our family to get together with Jan’s sister and her family. Jan’s sister has been battling cancer and her niece’s family had been in a tragic accident with Megan’s husband, Richie, dying on impact.

The week before we were to get together a prominent Christian leader died and I was asked to participate in the Memorial Service. For America’s Keswick, this would have put me in front of some very influential movers and shakers in ministry.

When the invitation came, I was in a Board meeting and shared my dilemma with the Board. It was really cool – the Board made it very plain – my responsibility was to be with my family as planned.

I made lots of mistakes in this area over the years, guys. Learn from my mistakes!

Well I said way more today than I had planned. I will address the next ones tomorrow. Thanks for listening. And several of you have written with YOUR lessons. I plan to share them next week. So if you haven’t sent yours, please share your lessons. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: 1 Chronicles 19-21; Proverbs 23; John 8:1-27

Motivations: No literature is more realistic and honest in facing harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempts us from difficulties. What is promised is preservation from all the evil in them. All the water in the oceans cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside. Nor can all the trouble in the world harm us unless it gets within us. That is the promise of Psalms 121. The Lord will keep you from all evil. Eugene Peterson

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 6:13 ; Level 2: Ephesians 6:14-21

Powered Up:  God doesn’t demand that we pray in King James English, or even with eloquence. Every feeble, stumbling prayer uttered by a believer is heard by God. Billy Graham