P and PC Balance

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as working for the Lord, not for men.

Colossians 3:23

Business management consultants stress the importance of balancing P and PC – with P standing for production and PC representing the physical assets that make production possible. To illustrate how this formula works, one consultant uses the example of a power lawn mower he purchased to help him maintain his yard. This weekend gardener used the mower over and over again without doing anything to maintain it. Then, after working efficiently for two years, the mower began to break down—and little by little it ceased to function as it was designed and created to work.

Although the distraught owner tried to revive the worn-out mower with service and sharpening, he learned the importance of the P/PC balance the hard way. His mower had been damaged beyond repair; through neglect, the once efficient engine had lost over half of its original power capacity. And, due to that significant loss of power, the mower was essentially useless—a victim of deferred maintenance.

Had the owner invested in PC and preserved and maintained the asset, rather than just concerning himself with the P—the production capacity of the mower—he would have saved himself the time and money it cost to replace the old mower with a new one. From that lesson learned the hard way, this consultant can now say from personal experience: “Keeping P and PC in balance makes a tremendous difference in the effective use of a physical asset.”

And, while it is easy for us to understand this concept when it comes to machinery, this P and PC balance is not only applicable to physical assets like lawn mowers, cars, computers, and household appliances. In our quest for short-term results and instant rewards, we often damage the most prized physical asset of all: the wonderfully-made body God has given us to do his work here on earth. When P (Production) and PC (Personal Care) are not in balance, we begin to break down too. Little by little, we cease to function as God designed and fashioned us to work. Our power and effectiveness diminish and soon we find ourselves trying to do more and more with less and less. Instead of serving the Lord with gladness, we feel burdened and weary.

Although we are called to work at what we are doing with all our heart as if we were working for God, that concept is only half of what the Bible teaches about work. The other half of our Master’s instruction regarding work has to do with rest. That instruction was perfectly illustrated when Jesus’ disciples were so busy they didn’t even have time to eat, and Jesus invited them to come away with him to a deserted place to rest. Jesus also honored his own physical need for rest; he withdrew from the crowds to which he ministered so that he could spend quiet time in prayer. What the Son of God found necessary for both himself and the disciples of old should not be neglected by his modern-day disciples! There is an ebb-and-flow rhythm to our life in Christ—a rhythm of grace. Therefore, none of us should ever feel guilty when we honor our physical body’s need for rest.

Society calls a lack of P/PC balance “burn out.” God, however, calls it wrong priorities! When we go for the instant rewards at the expense of our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being—when our P and PC are out of balance—we are not doing the things that please the One we are called to serve. God invites us to care for ourselves because he cares for us. Remember: In God’s kingdom the steward is more important than the service!

Caring for this wonderfully created body God has fashioned for us is an essential part of the P/PC balance that gives honor and glory to our Creator. Our Lord calls us to honor him with our bodies and to live and move and have our being in him—not live a life of driven-ness devoid of his wisdom, which balances productivity with rest. Christ gives us strength for the impossible only if we have first taken time to draw our strength from him during quiet, restful times of sitting at the Master’s feet and learning from him.

A tired-out, burned-out Christian

is a contradiction in terms.

~~Lloyd Ogilvie

---

A Question to Ponder: Today is the day to ponder a couple of questions most of us would prefer not to think about! Are you destroying God’s temple in the name of busyness and service? In your quest for instant results, are you neglecting the basic maintenance and repair found in the wisdom of balancing work and rest?

A Prayer to Offer: Thank you, gracious God, for giving me a wonderfully-made body to be my temporary home here on earth—a body that allows me to be your feet and hands as I minister in your name to a gloomy and despairing world. You call me to be light to those still walking in darkness, but unless I care for my body, my light will soon shine not-so-brightly because I have insisted on burning the candle at both ends! Thank you for the prudence and wisdom necessary to care for myself in response to your great care for me. In my head, I know that I am more important to you than any service I could possible give—but in my heart I still look for the applause and accolades that service brings. Forgive me for doing what is pleasing to others while neglecting what is pleasing to you. Help me to grasp the truth of your word in new ways. Give me eyes to see your vision for me, ears to hear your still, small voice, and a heart that comprehends your wonderful plans for me. Thank you for reminding me, once again, how very much you love me—and that you desire that I care for myself because I am your temple; an earthen vessel that contains a priceless treasure. Today I will find time to rest in your love and delight in your presence. Amen.

An Action Step to Take: Today make an honest assessment of the areas in your life where you are not practicing P and PC balance. And, having made the assessment, determine one small step you can make today to remedy the situation.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,

in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1