Margins
Jesus was the great simplifier. Jesus had margin. He wasn't stressed out. Our culture doesn't make it easy to live with margin. We celebrate the risk-takers. They push the boundaries. Read the book-"Margin" by Richard A. Swenson. The first verse of the Bible starts with "In the beginning, God"." That shows His sovereignty. God created this world to have limits for order. We like margin in the physical areas of our lives. Don't ignore margin in your emotions, morals, marriage and finances. Living without margin is not fun! Our culture pushes us to the edge morally and in our relationships. Living with margin is living counter to our culture. Job 3:26 says, "I have no quiet! I have no rest! And trouble keeps coming!" Margin is defined as: an amount available beyond what is actually needed. Proverbs 27:12 says, "A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."
When you don't have margin, stress goes up. Focus narrows. All relationships suffer. We're unprepared for the future. Luke 17:1 says, "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come" (Not might come) You can bank on it; count on it. You didn't see them coming.
How you develop margin:
Slow down (Don't live full throttle). Simplify your life (activities, stuff). Don't live life pushed to the edge with no margin. You're at the end of your rope emotionally. If you cross over, it brings pain and regret. We have to restore; recharge. Take the day off. Engage with your children. We're on a treadmill with technology. Smart people live with margin. They plan for the unexpected. We need to model margin for our family and mandate it. We don't need intention. We need a radical change in our lives. Build margin in every area of your lives.
