Lifeway Church

If you're a comparison shopper, you are familiar with the term "more for less."  In fact, that term alone can bring out the most avid shopper to investigate prices and product alike.  I don't know if it's in our nature or if it is something that we have picked up as our society has become more consumer savvy, but this "more for less" attitude has gone beyond the borders of our spending and has crept into our daily lives.  If asked, I bet that most of us would want more quality moments in our marriages.  We would want more quality time in with our kids.  We want more from our finances.  We want more from our churches.  We want more from God.  Here's the thing.  We will never get more by giving less.  That is the biggest obstacle to overcome.  Does God want to do more for our marriages, families, finances and churches?  Yes!  There is no doubt about it.  The issue has been are we willing to do what God asks us to do, which usually means greater sacrifice and service, or are we expecting "more for less."  As a husband, if I expect more out of my relationship with my wife, I can't give less of my time, affection and attention to my wife.  I must give more.  As a father, if I want more out my relationship with my kids, I can't give less, I must give more!  As a business man, if I want my business to grow, I can't give less of my time meeting potential clients, I have to do more.  As a pastor, I can't expect God to do more in our church if I accept people giving less.  Less of their time, their talents and their treasure.  It's all connected.  You see, our lives are not like Wal-Mart.  We can't have more for less in our relationships.  If you want more, you have to give and invest more.  Here are a couple of things that we can do to evaluate our output in our lives.

• How much time, energy and resources am I investing in the things that really matter and that should matter to me?
• If I am to give more of my time, energy and resources to things that matter to me, that means I have to take time from somewhere else.  What areas do I need to take time from to give to others?
• Sometimes it's not the quantity of time that matters, but it's what you do with the time that you have.  Ask your spouse, children and/or church leaders, "How can I spend some quality time connecting or serving?"  Get someone else's perspective, not just yours.

So let's coin a new phrase today.  Get more for more.  Whether you're looking at this as a church leader, a spouse, a parent or any others figure, we're going to have to quit expecting more for less.  There are no short cuts to building stronger relationships.  God bless!