People, Places, and TimeSample

Day 1: The 3 Factors

God’s desire for us is to live a fruitful and abundant life, but this reality is often contingent on many factors; some of these factors are within our control, while some are not. Of the many things that contribute to a flourishing life, three things are sacrosanct: People (Relationship), Places (Environment), and Time (Chronos and Kairos). These factors are often overlooked, yet they play a crucial role in living the life that God intended for us.

Beyond hard work and grit, beyond education and intelligence, a successful Christian life is rooted in many other things. A lack of understanding of how these factors play out often leads to restlessness and meaningless struggle. As anointed and powerful as he was, Jesus wouldn't have started his ministry without first selecting his twelve disciples. In other words, the success and continuity of his mission are not only contingent on his anointing. He needs people.

Simply, what we often call success or a blessing is in part a function of right timing, a favourable environment, and the right relationships; without these three, life is merely reduced to a cycle of unproductive labour and unrewarded efforts. The Bible is filled with many case studies and examples, which we will be considering in the coming days.

You need to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right people. Consider a seed; the planting time has to be right, the environment must be conducive, and a farmer needs to look after it for the seed to grow. An oak tree can live for more than 1,000 years, but if the acorn is planted in the wrong soil, it won’t live up to its potential; eventually, it might only die a seed. It’s not a seed problem; it's the soil in which it's planted. There are people like Oak, but they only live as an acorn because of the wrong environment.

Before God could do anything with Abraham, He asked him to leave his environment. Before Jesus could do anything remarkable, he had to leave his hometown. These are not mere coincidences; places and relationships matter. You need to be planted in the right soil to bloom. In the days ahead, I will highlight how all these factors often play out and how God uses each one of them to fulfill his plans and purpose for our lives.