Time Wise

Time Wise

Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Ephesians 5:15-16

What robs you of your time? For me it’s watching television, hunting for items I’ve misplaced, and spending too much time on the Internet. I tell myself I’ll do better tomorrow, but “tomorrow” comes, and once again the minutes slip away. The Amish don’t have those time robbers.

[The Amish] have a deep connection to the rhythms of nature through their farm, even if it’s just a few acres to grow their own fruits and vegetables. They eschew time thieves: television, radio, newspapers. It’s as if they live their life with an unlimited amount of time, as if they have a toe in the door to eternity.

Common sayings promote patience as a virtue:

“It takes a century for God to make a sturdy oak.”

“Harvest comes not every day.”

“A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.”

“You can’t make cider without apples.”

“Don’t count your eggs before they are laid.”

What a contrast to the English perception that there is never enough time! We tend to view time as an enemy, or at the least, as an irritating constraint. We try to beat the clock, and we use technology or machinery to speed up tasks. But in an ironic twist, time seems even more elusive despite all the gadgetry that promises to save us time. We cook with microwaves and wash with machines. We drive cars and send work through e-mail and fax, but none of these things gains us more time.

Just how precious is your time? It’s worth Christ’s sacrifice. He died so that we could live with Him for eternity, where we will no longer be bound by the limits of time. He also wants us to follow His example on earth. Ephesians 5:2 calls us to “live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

The only way we can make the most of our minutes and days is through wisdom. It’s turning to God for guidance and being careful how our minutes are spent.

Dear heavenly Father, show me how precious You consider my time, and guide me in using it better.