Making the most of time



In the movie "Alice Through the Looking Glass" Time makes the statement we all will one day face "Tick-Tock you time is up!"  This is a fearful statement for most because it is a stark reminder of what we know and see in the Bible that life is but a vapor, a mist.  James says "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (Jas 4:14b)  Time is something that we all desire to control yet truly have no control of for we cannot add a single moment, hour, day to our lives (Matt 6:27).  When we are young we often view time as our friend, days are long and go by so slowly, then as we age we begin to see time as our foe, time moves quickly and we do not have enough of it.  So what should our view of time be as Christians?  Paul writes in Ephesians "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of your time, because the days are evil." (Eph 4:15-16)

Going through cancer I have learned just how precious time is.  I look back and see in my life that I have often used time foolishly and lost precious moments.  Today I see time differently, as more precious, not my enemy, but when used wisely, God's gift.  Here are three ways you can make the best of your time starting today.

1.  Stop allowing the minors to rule your life

When we begin to look at how we spend our time often we find that we waste so much of it.  Smart phones and social media may be the downfall of us all.  Take time today to watch others around you.  Often we find families and friends together but instead of engaging with one another they are engrossed in their gadgets, posting on media, sending texts, disengaging from the world.  We can also allow trivial matters to consume us as well.  Worry over the minors never added anything to our lives and Zig Zigler once said "Worry is paying a debt on something you may never owe."  Make a journal for a week and log how and where you send your time.  I think you may be surprised just how much time is wasted focusing on the minor things of life.

2.  Focus on what is of value

Once you have a grasp of where your time is spent, and then pruning out those things out, you will have time to look at the important things like our spouses, children, grandchildren, family, friends, the things that are truly of great value like:  Spending time together as families.  Spending time making memories together.  As Christians we are called to live in community, to have all things in common (simply that means sharing, kind of what we teach our kids), spending time worshiping, breaking bread, laughing together, crying together, doing what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called life together.  These are the things of value.  These are the things that make our hearts joyful.  These are the things that we cling to when time is difficult.  These are the things that should hold priority of our time.  The days are evil so we must purse the good things.

3.  Do the things that have eternal impact

Finally as Christians we must focus on the command of Christ to make disciples and share Christ with the world.  If we are focusing on the minors and not on what is of value we will not do that which has eternal impact.  As Christians is we believe that Christ is all that He claims to be then we must share Him with others, otherwise I wonder if we really believe.  The legacy we leave behind when we are gone must be rooted in Jesus.  If our time was merely about gaining material possessions we must remember that all these things will rust.  Your money will be spent.  Your earthly treasures sold or stored in an attic.  A legacy of Christ will continue on after all the money is gone. (Matt. 6:19-20)  Sharing Christ with other allows more to know our hope and our desire to spend more than a brief moment here on earth with them, but an eternity as well.


Take time today to make the best of your time.  As Alice says at the end of "Through the Looking Glass", "Time is a gift.  Every minute. Every second."  Indeed God gives us time as a gift.  We do not know how much we have in our hourglass so may we make every moment count.  

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