Message from Pu H. Thangzamuan, Adviser to MZCF on Freshers’Day 2013
Welcome to Mumbai, a cosmopolitan city where all major cultures of the world co-exist. In Mumbai you can find the good, the bad and the ugly! You can find good things or find trash for your future in Mumbai. It all depends on how you align your time and actions with the purpose of your stay in this city. To those of you who come here to look for value, education, work, money and something better for your future you will always find two things in short supply in Mumbai – Money and Time! May I share with you some simple rules which will help you improve your resources while in Mumbai and beyond.
I have chosen a Biblical text to match our theme this year, “Remember thy creator in thy youth…” Let us read Ephesians 4:15 “… we will in all things grow up…” Remembering God means being aware of God’s presence and guidance which help us improve our lives. We all need to strife for progress, growth and improvement in life. Students, job workers, service holders, homemakers, we all must realize that the purpose of life itself is to grow up in Christ and achieve maturity through knowledge, wisdom, experience, love and discipleship. So our theme this year is improvement, progress, growth and maturity in body, mind and spirit. While striving to achieve maturity we will make sure to remember God, our creator.
Globalization has brought many new ideas and concepts in our day today world. We have heard of Public Private Partnership (PPP) model of growth and development as the new ‘mantra’ in India. To those of us who live, work and study in Mumbai, I would like to propose another PPP model for growth and maturity. My idea of PPP is Purpose, Priority & Plan. Let me explain:
PURPOSE
We must be clear about the purpose of life and the goals for our stay in Mumbai. According to American culture the main purpose of life is to be happy and /or successful, grab all the gusto since they only go around once. The blind pursuit of happiness and success would only lead to high stress and unhappiness at the end! But the Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:15 that the purpose of life is to grow up, mature in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Maturity needs time & space, it cannot be hurried.God doesn't want you to do more for Him. He wants you to be more for Him. We must understand the big purpose of life and then be very clear about what we want to achieve in Mumbai. If you know your purpose, then you can decide what is most important and less important. You are able to prioritize things in your life.
PRIORITY
Let me explain the second ‘P’ now. We live in Mumbai where life moves very fast and time management is a real challenge each passing day. There is not enough time for all things but there is however, enough time for the most important things.God has given each person an equal amount of time – 24 hrs/day. Time is the greatest equalizer of the poor and the rich as no one gets more hrs/day. If you need money you may get it by earning, begging, borrowing or stealing so to speak. But if you need more time per day you will never get one extra second per day, even by hook or by crook. So, you must use time in the most productive and efficient manner or else get stressed out and have health issues.You must identify and list out the things you have to do in Mumbai - on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis in order of importance. You must prioritize. In Mt. 6:33 the Bible tells us to “Seek first the kingdom of God…” This talks about priority. Knowing which things are more important and which are less is key to happiness and success. Likewise, identifying your priorities is the key to your success and happiness. To illustrate what priority means let me share with you a true story:
Charles Schwab is the owner of Bethlehem Steel Corporation and Ivy Lee is a Consultant. Charles is a very busy person. He could never find enough time to do what he wanted to get done on a daily basis. He called Lee and asked for advice on how to improve his time management. He said, “Show me a way to get more things done with my time”. Lee agreed to advise him on payment of anything within reason, only if his advice is found to be useful. Charles too agreed to follow his advice and pay him something he considered reasonable. Lee’s advice was as follows:
1. “Write down the most important tasks you have to do tomorrow.
2. Number them in order of importance.
3. Begin at once with No. 1 and stay on it until it is completed.
4. Recheck your priorities.
5. Then begin with No. 2 … 3….& 4 and so on.
6. Make this a habit every working day.
7. Pass it on to those under you.
8. Try it as long as you like.
9. Then send me the cheque for what you think it’s worth.”
Charles sent $25000 (Rs 16 lakhs) cheque to Lee as his fee with a note “This is the most profitable lesson I had ever learned.” He found the advice so practicable, simple and effective that he actually turned Bethlehem Steel Corporation to be the largest steel company in the whole world!
Here is another case study: A young Zomi lady was working in retail sales in Bangalore. She faced an interview for another better job and the prospective boss asked her if she can be flexible in terms of working hours. She told the boss, “Except before 11 AM on Sundays and after 6 pm on Saturdays, which are committed for Church service and choir practice”. She got the job as the prospective boss was impressed with her clear & healthy priorities.
PLAN
The 3rd “P” is a concept based on the Biblical principle found in Eph. 5:15-16 “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise, making the most of every opportunity.” This advice to live wisely on a daily basis talks about planning our daily activities in a meaningful way, based on our purpose and priorities. To plan or schedule your working day would mean but not limited to the following:
A. Compose each morning a written plan for the day, hour by hour.
B. Do it for a week, review if it helps you get more time to do things on your list.
C. The list can be on your handheld device – smart phones or on a piece of paper.
D. Each working hour is assigned and allocated.
E. Review your list every now and then and tick off what is done.
F. Reallocate items in order of priority or urgency.
G. Allow some items to roll over if the reason is genuine.
H. Make this a habit and schedule your time daily.
Planning is the best way to organize your time in Mumbai and beyond. Your success and happiness will depend on what you put into these 24 hrs on a daily basis. The Bible says, in Phil. 1:16 “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Remembering God in the days of your youth means planning your daily life in accordance with your purpose and priorities. This is a good thing and approved of God. The one who begins such a good thing in your life will help you accomplish your goals and purpose. This is a promise and we can trust and claim it.
Let me make one more proposition today, especially for the freshers. The Daily Bread for August 17, 2013 (today) talks about “Friends in the Night”who are also called ‘2 AM Friends’. It says, ‘a true friend who receives a phone call at 2 AM from another friend asks, ‘Where are you? What do you need? In Mumbai you will need a 2 AM friend but make sure he/she is a true friend. The Bible tells us about true friends joined together by God. In 1 Samuel 20:30-42 we read that ‘The soul of Jonathan (s/o king Saul) was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul’. (Read 1 Sam. 18:1).
Find a friend in the right place such as a church, a respectable location or occasion or find one at MZCF. Most of all find Jesus, a faithful and true friend and keep Him close to you in Mumbai! We must all continue to build a “reputation” in this big city which is respectable, honorable and dignified. We must be known as faithful Christians - People with integrity. May God help you with your PPP.
Thank you and God bless you all!
Hauzel Thangzamuan Adviser, Mumbai ZCF