Are You Focusing on Your 5%

Last Global Leadership Summit 2009, I had a privilege to listen live to Pastor Wayne Cordeiro from Hawaii. I've heard before that he is of Filipino descent, but from what I read in Wikipedia, I'm still confused. But anyway, he shared a very insightful message that focuses on the personal well-being of us leaders. Somehow most of the sessions in the GLS focused (for me) on sustainability, either personal, ministry or financial etc. In his session entitled "Dead Leader Running" he mentions about focusing on your 5%. He says that studies show 85% of what we do can be done by other people; 15% can be done with minimal training; while only 5% of what you do are the roles and chores that only you can do. We are not Superman. In fact, the Bible says that our bodies are like earthen vessels or jars of clay in which God puts His treasure. Earthen vessels--we need to take care of ourselves because often times its not the priorities that we forget, but according to Ptr. Cordeiro, our humanity. So he proposes to us to take take and discover our 5% and focus on those things. He gives his personal 5% as an example: (1) A growing relationship with Christ - Only you can do that for yourself. You cannot delegate others to take care of your relationship with Christ. (2) Marriage - only you can be the spouse of your spouse. (3) Family - Family first before ministry. Because ministry never runs out, but you have only one family. (4) Ministry, Vocation, Physical Health and Rest. About the importance of taking a break, he says "rest is a forethought", and not an afterthought. Because in the economy of the "new reality" (as Hybels put it), rest is important for long-term effectiveness. Wayne finishes with an illustration of the Olympic flame. Every four years, before the Olympic Games start, the Olympic torch is taken from one city to another, passed from one athlete to another. The goal is not to take the torch from point A to point B the fastest, but to keep the torch burning throughout the course of the run. Run to fast and you may end up with a burned wick instead of a healthy flame. It speaks a lot about life. It doesn't matter who finishes or succeeds first, the more important thing is are you running with your soul and your character.