President Biden once tweeted, “My father had an expression: ‘Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget—and I’ll tell you what you value.'” This holds profound truth. Our priorities are revealed by how we allocate our time and money. Nothing is more valuable to a person than their time and money. The way you spend them reveals your priorities and the things you truly value. If you truly believe you are on a mission, your daily schedule and budget should reflect this. Align your calendar and budget with your mission; they should reflect your deepest convictions. Let your actions speak louder than words.
Whatever your mission, we all have the same 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week. What matters is not the passage of time, but what we do with it. We can all learn a lot from Jesus. Jesus was so focused on his mission that his family and friends began to suspect him of insanity and sought to take custody of him (Mark 3:20-21). It’s always interesting to see what we say we want and what actually happens. We claim to be on a mission to build a specific business or to advance a just cause, but neither our spending nor our daily schedule reflects this.
Look at your calendar each week and look beyond the tasks to see what story it’s telling you. Consider whether it corresponds to your mission and, more importantly, your values. Is your budget and schedule in line with your role as a watchman tasked with steering your world towards a brighter future? Are you really committed to that mission if you’re not putting in at least 10 to 20 hours per week? Intentionally invest time and money in what truly matters to you, showcasing your unwavering commitment to what you value most.