ARE WE IN ORDER?

“…let everything be done decently and in order.” 1 Cor 14:40

Order in the context of our discussion of today is simply defined as everything being arranged in its proper place. That is to say, there is the proper place for everything. Bringing this to a larger picture, permit me to say that everything about your life has an appropriate place. Putting your whole life into perspective, you discover there is an appropriate way to handle every issue of your life. Picture your life as a jigsaw puzzle; it does not make sense until everything is put in its proper place.

I have a few reasons why you and I may need to cultivate the habit of order:

1. ORDER ENHANCES BEAUTY. Have you ever seen a shelf disarranged? It sure does not look any inch beautiful. I had the privilege of organizing my boss` book shelf when we moved to a new office months ago. After several days of sorting and arrangement, the shelf took shape and it was a good sight. The same way a person`s life takes a beautiful shape if everything is put in order. Everyone appreciates the beauty of a well laid out housing estate as compared to a slum. If a life lacks order, it looks like a slum. Is your table or shelf or wardrobe disarranged? Try to arrange it and see if you like it or not. If you like it, do the same to issues of your life too. Your appointments, your daily itinerary, your spending pattern, even your dressing, and everything about your life must be in order. Then, real beauty will be seen on you.

2. ORDER PROMOTES PRODUCTIVITY. Have you seen a production line before? There can never be any successful production without a well laid out production process. Process design is a fundamental course in Engineering. Things don`t just happen, they have to be deliberately orchestrated. Creating or producing something takes a step-wise process. If any of the steps are missing, you come out with a fake or sub-standard product. Following such steps to ensure productivity is what order is about. A productive life, just like a production line requires order. If you are not yet at your optimum, check to see if everything is in good order. Do you want a qualitative life? Then create order in your life.

3. ORDER ENHANCES SAFETY. Several years ago, a young cousin of mine needed to do her home-work. She needed to sharpen her pencil, so she reached for the side pocket of her bag to get a razor. Instead of coming out with a razor, she came out with blood. She had just cut her fingers with the razor because she did not put the razor in its wrapper before putting it in her bag. The moral here is that when order is neglected, safety is compromised. Not all accidents are inevitable. Some can be prevented by doing things orderly. When you drive, be orderly, when you speak, be orderly. Let`s take some responsibility for our safety by learning to put order into our lives.

It is not too early or too late to start. At least, it is better to be late than never. You still have a whole life ahead of you. It is time to take your life to the next level. Little blocks fit together to make a building. Order is just one of those little blocks. But mind you, if any of the blocks is missing, then the building is a failure. Do not leave out this little block as you build your life.

SEE YOU AT THE TOP.