I read this story in two different books on the same day. Very unusual. Is this a sign?
The instructor fills a large jar with big rocks until he cannot possibly add another. He asks if the jar is full. Everyone agrees that there is no more room for more rocks.
So the professor lifts a container of pebbles and pours them into the same jar. The pebbles tumble loosely between the spaces left by the rocks. Again, he asks if the jar is full. People are now less eager to agree.
Next, he lifts a container of sand and pours it into the jar and people watch as the sand cascades through all the loose spaces between the rocks and pebbles. “Now is the jar full?” This time everyone agrees that the jar is full and has no more room.
Then the professor pours a pitcher of water into the jar and the water begins to saturate the sand and pebbles and rocks
“What have we learned? If the Jar represents our time, what have we learned?”
One student said: “You can always squeeze one more thing into an already crowded schedule.”
“Good response, but here is a better one,” said the professor. “We’ve learned that if we don’t place the big rocks in first, we can never squeeze them in later.”
“If we don’t concentrate on the big rocks first, we can never squeeze them in later.”
What are the one or two rocks that would qualify as big in your life? In your family?
What are the one or two rocks that would qualify as big in your church?
Jesus said: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
“If we don’t concentrate on the big rocks first, we can never squeeze them in later.”
What are the one or two rocks that would qualify as big in your life? In your family?
What are the one or two rocks that would qualify as big in your church?
“Dear God, help us to distinguish between what is merely convenient, easy and rewarding for us and what is essential for serving others with real love and respect. Help us grab the initiative to treat others as we would want to be treated.”
(Story and prayer comes from ”Remember the Future” by Robert Schnase)
