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The 10K Hour Rule - The Matthew 25 Principle |
Greetings!
Introduction
Recently Pam and I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with nine college students who just returned from an exciting Missions trip to Argentina. They were exuberant, excited, and full of great testimonies of healings, miracles, and salvations. As I was driving and listening to the stories I was excited for the students and the verse in scripture came to life in Acts 4:20 - "For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." These college students were merely fulfilling scripture; and could not help but to speak what they had just experienced for 10-days. The few weeks prior to spending time with these students we were ministering in areas where we were hearing negative attitudes and ill spirited words spoken between clergy and ministers. There was a consistent attitude of jealously being portrayed. These people were also fulfilling scripture from Acts 4:20 as they also were merely speaking about the very things they were currently hearing and seeing.
This real-life experience is a great contrast that got my full attention on the reality that what I have been seeing and hearing will be a direct reflection of what I end up speaking. I believe the scripture in Acts 4:20 is applicable in that what you are seeing in your circle of friends, church, family, work, and ministry activities is what you will be speaking about. More seriously, I had to take a look at some Biblical truths that apply toward my personal destiny and examine where I have invested my 10K hours of time, talent, and energy. Because where I invested my 10K hours is where my treasure is located as well as what I have become a master of. This bulletin is intended to explain the Biblical principles that relate to the 10K hour rule and the Matthew 25 principle. It includes the following topics:
What have I become a master of - Understanding the 10K hour rule
The Matthew 25 principle
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What have I become the master of - understanding the 10K hour rule! |
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The week after talking with the College students who went to Argentina I wondered how many weeks or months would go by before they forgot what they had heard, seen and experienced in Argentina. Like many of us, after a period of time of being in our own environment we go back to a status quo routine. This thought caused me to reflect on a recent discovery aout human nature. That discovery has been described by best-selling business author Malcolm Gladwell who has written three best selling business books called "Blink, The Tipping Point, and most recently Outliers." In his most recent book Gladwell uncovers the fact that people do not become a master at any trade, skill, or gifting until they have invested 10K hours of practice or hands-on experience in that area of expertise. Gladwell did an excellent job using real life examples of Bill Gates and other gifted individuals to determine what it is that sets certain individuals apart from being average, and allows them to become an 'Outlier'. Through Gladwell's research many leaders have adopted this principle to understand that the sooner a person invests their 10K hours of practice, the sooner they become a leader or maestro. This concept helps explain how individuals who started practicing skills, trades, or sports early in life generally excel and set themselves apart from the average person. It is important to realize how long it takes to actually invest 10K hours. For instance, if I do something for 2,000 hours a year which would be approximately the hours of one year in a full time job; it would take 5-years to obtain mastery. If I only work 50% of my job on one type of skill, it would take 10 years (1,000 hours per year.) This is why many people as myself may say 'I'm a Jack or Jill of all trades; but master of none.' Tiger Woods would be a perfect example of why he entered professional golf and literally became a Master that set himself far apart from average players. He began golfing at the age of 4 and reached 10K hours of practice at an earlier age then his competitors. This same 'early age' of experience explains why some high school or college drop outs still excel and become huge success stories. They may get addicted to computer programming, business practices, or design techniques and spend an absorbant amount of time practicing and investing in their skill. These same people in a sense apply Acts 4:20 and invest their energies, ambitions, and interests speaking about the things they hear and see.
This newly discovered application to human life may shed some light on many of the current day spiritual struggles. This leads me to my own frightful and fateful question; "What have I invested 10K hours in?" It is frightful because I may have to discover that one of the following life scenarios may be true about me:
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I may invested 10K hours in complaining.
I may have invested 10K hours in finding fault in people.
I may have invested 10K hours in complaining about my spouse.
I may have invested 10K hours in trying to get out of work; rather than work.
I may have invested 10K hours manipulating people to get my own way.
I may have invested 10K hours being rebellious toward anyone in authority.
The outcome of any of these scenarios means that I may have become a master or maestro in that area. For instance, I may have become a master at complaining, finding fault, manipulating, etc. This rationale explains the behavior of some of the people we have met who continue manipulate circumstances or people. They have become a master at what they have invested their 10K hours towards. After 10K hours of manipulating or telling half-truth stories, they have become a master of behaving in the same manner.
After becoming a master in a specific area, we actually fulfill Acts 4:20 by speaking that which we have heard and seen. This behavior becomes a cycle of dysfunction. However, if we invest 10K hours wisely, it becomes a cycle of success in the areas we set-our affections toward. Scripture says 'Where your treasure is there is where your heart will be also (Matt 6:21).' Where I place 10K hours of my heart is eventually where I will find my treasure.
The college students that went to Argentina have the potential to become masters at experiencing the same treasures they did in Argentina through healings, miracles, and salvations if they make the decision to invest 10K hours doing and witnessing these types of works. The reason so many of us fall back to our normal religious lives is because we easily invest 10K hours of becoming a master at things within our routine environment. Scripture passage that support the reality of applying ourselves wholeheartedly in a positive manner or rule would be:
· Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
· Galatians 6:4: "But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another."
· Colossians 3:17;23 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him; Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
If your personal life, or church has produced the same results for the last five years, more than likely there will be little change over the next five years, as that is what you have become masters of. However, the churches and people who have invested years seeing salvations, miracles, and healings will more than likely keep seeing more of this; as the people attending will talk about that which they have heard and seen; and this experience will cause a multiplication effect. This 10K hour rule leads to the Matthew 25 Principle. |
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The 10K hour rule is helpful in forcing me to ask where I have been investing my time, energies, money and talents. The interesting Biblical aspect of the 10K hour rule is that Matthew 25:14-30 makes a clear case that whoever invests what was given to them, and earned a return on that investment will get more added unto them. Jesus states that whoever invested wisely, will be given more; but for those who did not invest, even the little they have will be taken away from them. Please read the parable of the talents (Matthew 24:14-30) as it clearly shows that God grows the possessions of those who were wise with investing their time, gifts, and/or talents; yet takes away from those who refused to invest their time, money and/or talent. Because God owns everything; the principle applies toward everything. In fact, this Godly principle allows anyone who invests wisely to start growing exponentially. The Bible shares this truthful principle; while at the same time non-biblical people start reciting the ungodly principle that says "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer." Remember God cannot be mocked; and He said whatever a man sows is what He will reap. If I sow 10K hours in Bible study, prayer, knowledge, revelation, and wisdom; I am guaranteed by God to be rewarded for my seeking, asking, and knocking in that investment. This is why some people accept Jesus, fall in love with Him, and quickly invest over 10K hours of study, prayer, witnessing, and other kingdom activity usually go on to greatness in the Kingdom; while others who accept Jesus and still invest in the cares, fears, and worries of this life become a slave to the master of fear. (Read the parable of the Sower - Matthew 13:1-23)
An interesting aspect of Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Outliers' is the first chapter is entitled 'The Matthew Principle.' Gladwell does not profess great Biblical revelation, however he does an excellent job explaining this Biblical principle to a world-wide audience. The book is already a number-1 best seller. Possibly God wants the whole world to hear that He is ready to get the return on His investment; just as the parable in Matthew 25 states. Click here for an article on 'God's return on investment".
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Gossiping is a Fact of life - and a Good Thing |
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As you should have gathered from this bulletin, people will fulfill Acts 4:20 by speaking about those things which they have heard and seen. In fact, during the first century the church had coined a term called "Gossiping the Gospel." It was a positive term that allowed the Gospel to spread far and wide, and thousands were added to the Church; even on a daily basis. When the people saw the transformation of salvations, healings and miracles they went everywhere and gossiped that which they had seen and heard." The question we should be asking is ... what are people in our church gossiping about? If you are trying to stop people from gossiping; good luck it never works as people are talkers; and more than likely you are only worried that they are gossiping about the unfavorable things they are hearing and seeing. We as people will always talk and share the good news and when good news is seen you will hear that type of gossip transform lives. The College students we picked up returning from Argentina where gossiping about the things they had just seen and heard, and we did not want to stop them from gossiping this good news as it blessed our ears and lives. We are all a reflection of what we hear, see, and practice. Whether we become masters at what we see, or just gossipers is a choice we all will make. However, I do want to start questing where I have invested 10K hours and start looking for what return on investment that I should be looking forward to. Let's start listening to what people are gossiping about; because on the front side of the gossip is what they are hearing and seeing from their perspective. More importantly is the reality that what is on the front side of that gossip is what I may focus my 10K hours toward, making me a master of that investment. |
Is there any way to reverse or speed up these principles? |
You may be like me and be concerned that you have invested 10K hours in the wrong area, or realize that you have become a Jack or Jill or all trades, and master of none. You may be panicking and wondering if there is a way to reverse things or speed up the process of investing in the correct things. I honestly cannot promise anyone that I have a formula; but, I can say that there are some scriptural evidences where things were accomplished in a non-linear fashion to speed up certain processes. Time can be very elusive and no one completely understands what happens in moments where we experience transformation, miracles, or dreams. However, for every person who has experienced a life-after-death experience they cannot help but to write a book describing the vivid details that transformed their insight and personal beliefs toward the life hereafter. In essence, the small time they spent outside their body or conscious part of this world, made them masters of what they heard and saw in their experience or vision; and now they cannot help but to speak about the things they have heard and seen. This is yet another example of Acts 4:20.
Now for the Biblical examples: 1) At an early age King Solomon received the gift of wisdom without spending 10K hours seeking it. This experience of asking and receiving wisdom all came in one night during a dream. The details of Solomon's dream can be found in 1 Kings 3:5-15. What would normally take an average person many years to achieve happened all in one evening; during his dream? During Solomon's dream time was sped up in a miraculous way. 2) Jacob had a mean boss called Laban who had cheated him out of seven years (about 10K hours) of raising sheep. In one night God gave Jacob a dream that creatively told him how to out-smart his boss. The whole story can be read in Genesis chapter 31. These are just two of over 20 dreams in scripture that demonstrate that time can speed up and change our circumstances. The full account of all the dreams can be read in the book 'And God Chose Dreams.' Click here for a free download of the Book?
Scientists are not able to completely understand the full power of dreams, visions, or out of the body experiences; but the outcome in Scripture and real life testifies that time and circumstances have changed based on having them. In fact, Job 33:14-18 states that God gave dreams as a means to whisper in a person's ears to keep them on the correct path. Again, I have no formula or evidence other than what God accomplished in scripture and what others are starting to witness in their lives.
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Summary |
We should all step back and ask where and how we have spent 10K hours to become a master or maestro. We may then see clearly that what we see and hear are the very things we talk about (Acts 4:20). The passage in Matthew 12:34 states that out of the overflow of our heart our mouth will speak. We find that we all speak about the things we have witnessed and buried in our heart. This basic information allows us to quickly measure what is really happening in our life, spouse's life, clergy's life, and church environment. There will be less cover up or hiding the truth about who we are when we measure the things we speak about. This will testify that the very things we have heard and seen are what we may have become masters of. God is starting to apply the principle in Matthew 25 as He is starting to dispense our return on investment.
Are you ready to ask for a reversal of time and circumstances through a vision, dream, or experience that has the potential to transform your life. These experiences come through a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as your savior. Pam and I believe in dreams and know that the present day circumstances are part of the reason God stated that He would increase dreams and visions (Acts 2:17-19). We are offering every reader of this newsletter the opportunity to received a free downloadable version of the Book 'And God Chose Dreams.' Please click here to access the download.
Please join us in examining where we have been investing our 10K hours, and listen to what we and others are speaking. These words are the very evidence of what we have been hearing and seeing.
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