Sunday, May 12, 2002
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the
prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
No life endures with more than one center of
interest. Some of you in business or education are
undoubtedly familiar with the name, Vilfredo Pareto.
Pareto, a mathematician, sociologist, and economist of
the 1800s, gave us the 80/20 rule. Pareto theorized that
in any given group there are relatively few "significant"
items, and that attention must be placed on these if
maximum results are to be expected. His conclusion was
that 80 percent of the results will come from 20 percent
of the events. For instance, an insurance company
discovered that 80 percent of its income came from 20
percent of its clients. A manufacturing firm realized
that 80 percent of its sales was coming from 20 percent
of its product line. My guess would be that in any given
organization, including the church, 20% of the people do
80% of the work.
Pareto's work helped many people set priorities
for their lives. The Gospel tells us there is only one
priority. "If anyone would come after me, let him take up
his cross daily and follow me."
(1 Corinthians 9.24
NRSV)
A novice painter had just completed a truly lovely landscape. Her family lavishly praised her
work, but a wise uncle shook his head from side to side as he
looked at the painting. "You don't like it?" asked the
young artist. "Oh, I like it, all right, but it will not
last," was his reply. "Your picture has two centers of
interest--see, a large tree there, and a snow-capped
mountain there. In time, people will be confused about
the focus of your picture's subject, and even you will
begin to dislike it. No work of art endures when there is
more than one center of interest."
Loving God, help me to keep my focus on you. Amen.
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