Highlights from Chapter 5 – “The Case for Timefulness”

“Pain plus reflection equals progress.” Montgomery, Daniel. How to Be Present in an Absent World (p. 53). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

“The key to getting back our time, then, is to learn how to be fully present.” Montgomery, Daniel. How to Be Present in an Absent World (p. 54). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

“According to Marc Wittman, “Through mindfulness and emotional control, the tempo of life that we experience can be reduced, and we can regain time for ourselves and others.”4” Montgomery, Daniel. How to Be Present in an Absent World (p. 55). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

“Time is both a gift and a responsibility. If we never slow down enough to be truly present, we’ll squander that gift in frenzied absence. On the flip side, if we misunderstand self-awareness as an invitation to constant navel-gazing, we’ll punt on our responsibility to make the most of what God has given. In the end, we need the wisdom that comes from an intimate knowledge of our finitude. Only then will we escape the tyranny of the clock and feel truly free to get our heads back in the game.” Montgomery, Daniel. How to Be Present in an Absent World (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Personal Reflection – So much of the currently productivity literature focuses on the management of time to help us go faster and do more. There is a place for good stewardship and efficiency. But what if a key missing component to fruitfulness is actually to slow down? What if we actually accomplish more by doing less, more slowly? The “more” has to be clearly identified so that we are not just passive and lazy (which Jesus clearly was not). I think the “more” has to do with the “fruit that will last”. God, help us to learn the difference between fruitfulness and busyness.