#active thinking

How The World Out Thinks The Church

I listen to a podcast called The Productivity Show. Their show title speaks to what they talk about: Productivity. “They help you do more…better!” They recently had a surprising show entitled, “Thinking Time: The Counterintuitive Approach To Growth”. (Pictured Below)

The thesis of the show is that “active thinking” helps people in their long-term productivity. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “If you give me six hours to chop down a tree, I will spend four hours sharpening the ax.” The show goes on to share that at productivity seminars active thinking is encouraged for at least 20 hours a week. Active thinking is defined as a structured process for analyzing your problems and solutions.

As I listened to these productivity experts talk about the need to pause and think, I reflected back to Christ, Christians and the Kingdom. Many Christians, especially Christian men, quietly and secretly doubt the efficacy of prayer. Prayer and meditation become obligations of their faith instead of revolutionary weapons. Mark 1:35 records the greatest man to ever live as “rising up early in the morning into a solitary place to pray” (Paraphrase). During another passage of Scripture, the disciples were having trouble with a problem. Jesus fixed the problem with no trouble at all saying, “This cannot be overcome without much prayer and fasting.” Prayer is not an obligation of faith, it is faith’s primary tool.

Active thinking is men learning to sort an organize their own thoughts. Prayer is talking to the Creator of Consciousness. Businessmen have discovered that active thinking is invaluable. How much more valuable is a dialogue with an omniscience entity?

Jesus was amazed once by the ability of worldly people to engage in activities reserved for the Kingdom without the benefit of being raised in Israel. He also said the Kingdom Of God is within. As I hear about the predominantly secular business community learning the value of being still and thinking, I am also amazed.

When the church believes in the power of this habit, the Kingdom will aggressively move forward.

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