Secret Ninja Skills In Getting Things Done

Ever notice that there are certain people who can always succeed where others fail? These are the people who are able to get things done that others have failed at time and time again. What is it about these people that helps them to succeed?

Scripture: 
“Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.” – Ezra 5:17

Observation/Application:   
Haggai and Zechariah were two such people who were able to get things done where others failed. The rebuilding of the temple was stalled and delayed many times, and for many years. And many people had lost focus and even interest in the effort. But they were able to get the job done. The book of Ezra gives us great insight into their ninja skills and abilities. And today’s verse gives us a great example of what to do when faced with obstacles. Here are some of the things that I took away from today’s chosen verse that we can apply in our lives when we are working on a significant project and/or trying to accomplish something significant in our lives .

• Just the facts –  Haggai and Zechariah used a historical account of what happened when they responded to the inquiry that threatened to shut down the rebuilding of the temple. They knew where the facts were recorded. They knew where the data of their time period was stored. And they used the facts to back up their effort.
• Focus – they were locked on their purpose and laser focused on their goal to rebuild the temple. They did not let roadblocks derail their efforts or get in their way. They did not ignore or avoid new obstacles, but removed them as they arose.
• Diligence – the project was a long term effort, but they did not tire or lose focus. They worked diligently over a long period of time to achieve their goal.
• People-Centric – They kept a good attitude to navigate the political waters of their day. They knew that attitude is everything. They walked in humility and had a genuine love and respect for people. They kept their minds right by trusting in the Lord. They were close to God and leaned on Him, trusting in His Ways. They were able to build relationships with people in important places that supported their efforts.
• Communication – They were skilled in communication. Not only did they use the facts, and communicate with humility and respect, but notice that they replied to the king. They didn’t try to work their way up through the ranks. They knew that were the head goes, the rest of the body follows. They were good at targeting their messages to the appropriate people at the appropriate time.

These are just a few of the ninja skills that stuck out from today’s chosen scripture. There is obviously a lot more that can be said here as this is just scratching the surface. But if you have something significant that you are trying to accomplish, some grand project at work or at home, I would encourage you to read the book of Ezra, chapters 1-6 for a deeper contextual understanding. Best wishes, and God be with you!

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word today. We know that all wisdom and understanding comes from you Lord. Fill us with full measure of your understanding and peace. We seek you first Lord. We know that your ways are higher than our ways. Let your Holy Spirit do a great work in us. Give us clarity on how we can remove any obstacles in our lives that are keeping us from the work that you have given us. Do not forsake the work of our hands. We trust in you Lord. Draw us close, and make us new, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Image courtesy of: Ojie Paloma

Photo By Ojie Paloma

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