Have deadlines in your life!

Luke 13:31-35

Just then some Pharisees came up and said, “Run for your life! Herod’s on the hunt. He’s out to kill you!” Jesus said, “Tell that fox that I’ve no time for him right now. Today and tomorrow I’m busy clearing out the demons and healing the sick; the third day I’m wrapping things up. Besides, it’s not proper for a prophet to come to a bad end outside Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets, abuser of the messengers of God!

How often I’ve longed to gather your children, gather your children like a hen,

Her brood safe under her wings— but you refused and turned away! And now it’s too late: You won’t see me again until the day you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of God.’”

Food for thought!

What would you do if someone came and told you to quit your job, your family, your mission, your purpose in life? This is what they told Jesus: “Run for your life! Herod’s on the hunt. He’s out to kill you!” Jesus didn't and couldn't go, because he knew both his purpose in life and his deadline.

As Viktor Frankl reminds us, man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life. More than to live by, man needs something to live for, and if need be even to die for. This something may be a person, a thing, an idea, a situation, or just a cause. Unfortunately, sometimes we have enough to live by but nothing to live for; we have the means to live by but not the meaning to live for.

Like Jesus, know your “why” of life that you live for; God created you for some reason, some purpose. This is what life expects of you to do before you die. Jesus said, “Tell that fox that I’ve no time for him right now. Today and tomorrow I’m busy clearing out the demons and healing the sick; the third day I’m wrapping things up. Besides, it’s not proper for a prophet to come to a bad end outside Jerusalem.

Classic advice for golfers has been, “Keep your eye on the ball.” The professional knows it is virtually impossible to hit a golf ball if you’re not looking at it! Once you have your purpose clearly in mind, set goals. However, a goal without some kind of deadline is a goal most likely not attainable. Jesus knew his deadline: "Today and tomorrow I’m busy clearing out the demons and healing the sick; the third day I’m wrapping things up." A deadline may also serve as an inspiration to complete a project. A deadline or target date can help you know when your goal may be attained.

It has often been observed that those who have the most time at their disposal profit by it the least. Without a deadline, you could exhaust yourself, galloping around in an open, often bleak, desert of unspecific thoughts and activities. A deadline, properly developed, can actually be a lifeline that draws you into alignment with your purpose and allows you to tame your time, talent, and resources, and apply them where they may be most useful.

Time-management experts say the best deadlines are the ones we choose for ourselves. If we don't have deadlines for ourselves, others will force theirs on us, like the Pharisees were doing to Jesus in today's gospel. Ask yourself, What would you like to achieve in your lifetime? How do you visualize making a difference in this world? Whatever large or small ambition you may have, begin today to create goals that suit your purpose, and set deadlines. I pray that it be not too late to set your goals and deadlines, and that Jesus never have to tell you as he did in the gospel reading, "And now it’s too late."