HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE – HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SAINTS

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a book that was on the best seller lists for a couple of years. It was written by a business leadership guru, Steven Covey. Basically, what he is proposing is a gospel message. Doing well means doing good and that doing good means being good. He is preaching that principles and morals, values and accountability actually belong in the office. He insists that in order for business, or any other institution, in order to flourish and grow, must undergo a moral transformation. The secret is to elicit a change of heart, a change of soul, at every level of the organization.

Sounds a lot like what we are all about during this season of Lent. For us Christians, none of his seven habits are new to us. Let me reflect with you on just one of the habits of highly effective people, in this case, of highly effective saints.

“Begin with the end in mind.” That is, what is your goal? What do you want to achieve? A story will help to illustrate this point.

One day a mother found a six pack of beer in her daughter’s closet. When her daughter came home, she asked her daughter what is this? The daughter responded, “It looks like a six-pack of beer.” The mother responded, “Don’t get smart with me, young lady. You tell me about this.” The daughter thought for a moment and then said that she was hiding it for a friend. The mother didn’t believe her. The girl ran off to her bedroom and slammed the door.

The mother sought advice from a good friend. The friend said to her, “Why were you so concerned with finding the beer in her closet?” The mother replied, “Because I don’t want her to get into trouble.” The friend said I understand that “but why is it you don’t want her to get into trouble?” the mother responded, Well, because I don’t want her to ruin her life.” Her friend said that she understood that, “but why don’t you want her to ruin her life?” Finally the mother got the point and replied, “because I love her.” The friend then said, “Do you think she got that message?” the mother thought for a moment and said, “of course not.”

Then the friend said to her, “what do you think would happen if you started with that message? If you had told her that you love her very much and were scared when you found the beer hidden in her room and could we talk about this?

With this approach you begin by being vulnerable instead of conducting an inquisition that inevitably leads to denial.

Starting from the position of love, which is your goal, provides the focus so that the child can then open up and work together with you on some kind of solution.

“Begin with the end in mind” – and that end is love and God.

If all we do during Lent is with this end in mind, than we will all find the realization of our Lenten goal when we come to celebrate with the Risen Christ at Easter.