Have you ever cleaned out your garage, closet, attic, or filing cabinet? When you have done research-based writing, weren’t there more sources than you actually used? I have gone through things in my garage, clothes in my closest, and more articles and books than I care to think about, and the question is the same – “What do I throw away, and what do I keep?” It seems this issue finds expression – whether more or less consciously – all the time and in every realm of existence. Although tangible things like documents and possessions, clothes, research materials, or cards help us get a handle on the idea, there are many less-tangible things we must sort through and make decisions about to be most effective in life and leadership.
Major Areas for the Keep or Throw Away Decision – Before we look at principles for making the decision, what are some things about which we make the decision to keep them or throw them away?
Things we are Given and Things we Come Across – Playing cards, there are the ones I am dealt, then there are the ones in the draw / discard piles. Some things I am handed – my traits, family traditions, life experiences, how I was brought up. I can’t change these things, but I get to decide what to do with them. Then, there are things I come across – ideas, opportunities, influences – and I have to decide whether to take them in or let them pass by. As you grew up, there may be some very positive things you learned, while other things may have been destructive. As you encounter various ways of thinking, living life, ministering, working, etc., some will be helpful, while others will not.
Beliefs, Assumptions, and Mental Models – I am a strong believer in evaluation, and part of evaluation is identifying and examining our beliefs, assumptions, and mental models about God, self, others, and how things work in various areas of life. These sometimes conscious and others times unconscious ways of thinking come from various places and either help or hinder us and God’s purposes for us and others. From time to time, we need to ask some honest questions about our thinking and make some decisions about what to keep and what to throw away.
Actions, Habits, Practices, and Strategies – On the personal level, there are things you do, ways you do them, habits you have formed, and strategies for doing life and work. I suspect some are positive, while others are detrimental. Your organization and your home are the same way. There are certain actions, habits, programs (in organizations), and strategies in use. These need to be examined, because not everything is useful, nor is everything still useful that once was. Some things need to be kept without modification, while others need to be retained and improved, and still others need to be eliminated.
Constructing and Using a Mental Sieve – When I was a boy, I helped my grandparents put in an above ground pool. After the ground was cleared, we needed a layer of fine dirt so nothing would puncture the plastic pool lining, but we didn’t go buy a load of sand. Instead, my grandfather used boards and screen to build a sieve. One person would throw a shovel full of dirt into it, and two others would shake it back and forth. This would allow the good dirt to pass through while keeping out the rocks and clods. Deciding what to keep and what to throw away requires us to build and use a sort of mental sieve. As you think about a source of information, a thought or action, a theological position, a tradition, a program, or any other issue, here are some questions you might use to filter and make decisions.
How does the truth of Scripture inform this decision? – Any personal tendency, attitude, idea, church program, etc. must pass the test of God’s Word. How often do we keep things that simply are un-Biblical or throw away things Scripture calls for?
What is the return on investment or cost-to-benefit in this decision? – When we think about keeping some action, attitude, practice, or program, what does it require in resources of time, effort, money? When we think about throwing away some program, habit, or anything else, what is the prospective cost of discarding it versus the benefit?
What is the usefulness to the glory and Kingdom of God in this decision? – When sorting through things, do they glorify God and further the Kingdom, or do they dishonor God and detract from the Kingdom?
Does it answer to and further the mission and vision? – When you think about where you, your family, and your church (or other organization) is heading and what your assigned task or mission is, does this idea, action, attitude, or program move toward the vision and help execute the mission, or does it not? To what extend does it further the mission and vision if at all?
What I am getting at is the need to work through things, asking whether or not they are true and whether or not they are beneficial, so long as we look at truth and benefit from God’s perspective. I believe this process, intentionally and accurately applied, will help us increase our peace, joy, and effectiveness at living life and honoring God in every area.
Photo Credit: Andy Barlow / Barlow Creative of Rockport, TX