Last Sunday, the musical maestro Quincy Jones died at the ripe old age of 91. Over a career that spanned seven decades, Jones amassed 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, 7 Oscar Nominations and Four Golden Globe Nominations. He is perhaps best known for producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. (Side note: I knew that Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones had created something special when my son Caleb was singing Billie Jean as we were driving to the airport one day. At the time, he was only 3 years old!).

Since his passing, a plethora of tributes—all in some way celebrating his genius, evaluating his impact and chronicling his legacy—have inundated the media landscape. Among these, one of the most illuminating was an interview that Jones gave to the Hollywood Reporter in June 2021. You can read the entire interview here. Rarely have I read an interview that was jam-packed with so much insight. It contained many pearls of wisdom. But one pearl shinned brighter than all the rest.

Quincy was asked what lessons he learned from working with some of the greatest artists of all time—from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson. What he said that he had learned from working with Michael Jackson struck me like a bolt of lightning, First of all, he said that he first met Michael Jackson when he was 12 years old at Sammy Davis Jr.’s house. (That in and of itself is worth a blog. Sammy Davis Jr. was the greatest entertainer of his generation. Michael Jackson would become the greatest entertainer of his generation—and at 12, he was already sitting at the feet of a legend). He went on to say that Michael was very observant, detail oriented and finally, that he always did his homework. According to Quincy Jones, one of the elements that separated Michael Jackson from the pack, and what largely explains his phenomenal impact was not his talent—although it was immense. It was not his parents, although they were influential. It was not his opportunities—although those were vast. It was that he always did his homework.

No one likes doing homework. Homework is classwork that is assigned and is expected to be completed outside the classroom. What makes homework so unlikable is that, well—you have to do it at home. And after having been in school for eight or more hours a day, who wants to do more work? By definition, homework is more work. Homework is designed to enhance, reinforce and prepare a student to perform better once they arrive in the classroom. The simple fact is that your classwork is usually a reflection of your homework. To do your homework means to do more work. To do your homework means to be prepared. To do your homework means to understand your subject deeply and intimately. To do your homework means to have questions for the teacher during the next class. To do your homework means to be prepared when the test comes.

In my formative years, I was deeply blessed because every night my mother would help my two brothers and I with our homework. During those homework sessions, my mother taught me several shortcuts that I would then introduce to my classmates and often to my teachers—much to their chagrin. I discovered quite early that the more work I did at home, the easier school became during class. Homework is like practice. The harder you work in practice, the easier the game is.

When God inspired a man named Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah did his homework. Before he decided to rebuild the wall, he studied how best he should do it. Nehemiah 2:12-17 shows us his strategy:

And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.”

Before he made a request, submitted a plan, or advertised his strategy, Nehemiah had done his homework. As a result, when opportunity presented itself, Nehemiah was prepared.

Someone reading this blog right now is frustrated because they lack opportunity. But let me offer you some counsel. Instead of carping and complaining about your lack of opportunity, use this time to do your homework. If you do your homework now, you will be prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

Do Your Homework