So what do you think? Did Jesus make New Year’s Resolutions?
I’m guessing that the guy who said: “Don’t worry about tomorrow, today has enough trouble” didn’t use a Day-Timer. The Gospels don’t mention annual retreats to set targets for number of teaching hours and healings. No quarterly reviews. No KPI dashboards.
But those things consume a big portion of my professional time right now. So, I started wondering: Is there a Christian approach to planning, or perhaps to not planning?
Happy New Year & Journey On,
~Mark
Mark King
Mark@BruisedCamels.com | LinkedIn
Business | Planning
Is There Such a Thing as a Christian Approach to Planning?
Gideon’s story in Judges 6 irritates me. Not Gideon himself; his insecurities resonate with me. But I must admit that it bugs me that Gideon asks God for super specific confirmation of a plan…and he gets it. Twice! I’ll concede that war plans involve high stakes. But what about when the stakes involve business failure, getting fired, relocating a family, or risking a retirement fund for an entrepreneurial venture? Why don’t I get to use a sheep’s fleece or follow a pillar of fire?
Spoiler alert. I don’t know. I can’t explain why some Biblical leaders got the tangible direction they did. God’s apparently quite direct when He needs to be. I take it on faith that if I’m supposed to take a hyper specific action, God won’t let me screw it up.
So then how are you and I supposed to approach planning? Proverbs is quite clear that prudence involves planning for the future. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” Prov 21:5. “The prudent see danger coming and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” Prov. 22:3. “The wife of noble character…considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard” Prov. 31:16.
Reflecting on Jesus’ teaching, the way Biblical leaders planned without God’s direct guidance, and the wisdom in Proverbs, I’m struck by four themes.
Use Your Expertise – Many-a-grandparent has said: “God gave you a good head on your shoulders, and He expects you to use it.” I know. “Think!” seems overly simple. Yet it’s consistent with what we see in the Bible. Joseph used his administrative knowledge to craft a 14-year strategic food plan. Nehemiah had some over-the-top construction management skills. Prov. 14:8 notes “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways.”
Remember…God Does Speak to You – He may not have shown up in a burning bush, but He has revealed plenty of guiding principles. You have a Bible, access to thousands of preachers and teachers, countless books, courses, etc. God has not been shy about revealing principles for us to follow. Either generally in the world or specifically in scripture, planning principles are there if you pay attention.
We Are Smarter Than Me – “Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance” Prov. 20:18. “Get advice” (like “Think!”) feels like a blinding flash of the obvious. However, I believe Christian community may be the most essential element of Christian planning. Lots to unpack here. But for now, remember that when you ask God for guidance for your plans, He’s fairly likely to answer through advisors.
Shorten Your Horizon and Broaden Your Vision – Ten-year Soviet economic plans were a meme before memes were a thing. Creating highly detailed, long-term plans based on “best estimates” frustrates countless middle managers. I’m drawn instead to Brian Moran’s framework, The 12 Week Year. It’s part mindset, part planning model, part execution system. (Info & some free resources here)
The core concept is that a short planning horizon improves accountability and grounds plans in reality. No waiting until the last quarter to hit your goals. No assumptions about market conditions 12-18 months from now. You establish a long-term vision and ask yourself what you need to do over the next 90 days to move toward that vision. Then you stop and ask the same question. Rinse and repeat.
It’s a great read, but is it any more Christian than other planning systems? I see an interesting parallel. Not always, but God tends to reveal his plans to us with a combination of short-term specificity and long-term grandeur. He gave the Israelites a big vision for the Promised Land and enough manna for today. Revelation shows us a new heaven and a new earth. Meanwhile, Jesus commands us to love our neighbor here and now to bring about His kingdom.
In my personal and professional planning this year, I’m striving to use this approach. Clarifying and expanding my vision while getting really concrete and accountable in the short-term. I hope to achieve more. But, I also hope that God expands my vision and that I learn to trust Him more with my future by focusing on what He’s called me to do today.
Kitchen Drawer | Short Video, Classic Book
Simon Sinek – Start With Why
One cannot mention planning and a vision for one’s life without mentioning Simon Sinek. He popularized the phrase “start with why.” If you haven’t seen his 17 min. TED talk it’s here. And the book is rapidly becoming a modern classic. He’s also a regular poster on LinkedIn and Instagram.
