The Power of Editing

editing-film1

At the Academy Awards since 1981 not a single film has won Best Picture without at least being nominated for Best Film Editing. Why? Because good editing makes for a better film.

Good editing makes for a better life, too.

Editing is eliminating that which is non essential so the essential can show through. Lin Yutang wrote, “The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.” When we stop trying to do it all, stop saying yes to everyone, then we can make the highest contribution towards what really matter. Editing is not about getting more things done; it’s about getting the right things done. It doesn’t mean doing less for the sake of less. It is about making the wisest possible investment of our time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.

The Apostle Paul, the man credited with turning Christianity into a movement that changed the world, understood editing’s power. He said, “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Phil. 3:13 ESV). He did not say these many things I dabble at. He was a man of singular mission and purpose. Of all the things we could do, he concentrated on the one that made an eternal difference.

You and I need to understand the power of editing. We need to eliminate the trivial, the unimportant, the irrelevant, the unnecessary, so the important, the relevant, and the necessary can show through. It means there may be a thousand things we could be doing, but only one or two are important.

As we age and approach our final breath then we discover the power of editing. Then, we know what matters most. We know what will stand the test of time. We know what is essential. Wouldn’t it make more sense to edit our lives now, determining what is most important, rather than waiting until the end of our life?

My new eBook, Chapter 13: The Excellence of Love, is now available.

https://www.amazon.com/Chapter-13-Excellence-Rick-Ezell-ebook/dp/B01E57M43E?ie=UTF8&keywords=rick%20ezell&qid=1462475878&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chapter-13-rick-ezell/1123656870?ean=2940157837853

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rick_Ezell_Chapter_13?id=pAPyCwAAQBAJ&hl=en http://ow.ly/i/jDEL9

About Rick Ezell

I am a husband, father, pastor, and writer. This blog is about shaping character, transforming church, and impacting culture. I believe that if one defines their moments then their moments will determine their character and their character will influence their world. I write on personal development, church leadership, and our changing culture. I also write about the resources I am developing and the books I am writing. My goal is to create challenging, relevant, and inspiring content that will help you be a better person, the church be a better parish, and the world a better place. If you are interested in those things, this blog is for you. I have served the church my entire career as a student minister and senior pastor. I studied at Samford University, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (eventually I will get it). I have written eight books. My most recent ones are Chapter 13: The Excellence of Love and Soul Therapy: The Healing Words of Psalm 23. Both are available as eBooks. I have written over 1000 articles for various local, regional, and national publications. I have been married to Cindy for thirty-three years. We have one wonderful daughter. We live in Greenville, SC. In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, running, tennis, and golf. You can contact me via email or follow me on Twitter or Facebook. This is my personal blog. The opinions I express here do not necessarily represent those of my employer. The information I provide is on an as-is basis. I make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.
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