Be very careful … how you live … . Ephesians 5:15a
Time does not come to you in hours or days—not even in minutes. It’s dribbled out to you by God, one second at a time. Like fine sand through our fingers, seconds that are wasted slip away and eventually pile up into minutes and hours. Years ago, the Apostle Paul provided guidelines for living when he said that we are to walk “not as unwise,” but we are to “… make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). If we are to translate Paul’s words into life today, we are going to have to do several things. Here are some simple guidelines that will help you use time wisely:
Guideline #1: Understand the importance of the present—now. Do you start work on time, or are you a charter member of the “dawdler’s club?” You become a member of the club by starting a job and then you get sidetracked. You know how it goes: you have to do something, so you pick up your phone and think, “Well, just one look.” Or you clean up your desk or run an errand—then the first thing you know, the hour is gone. Here is a good motto to practice: Do it now! It is not what we do that tires us out—as much as what we don’t get done.
Guideline #2: Have a plan to utilize waiting time. A University of Wisconsin analyst showed that the average person spends three years of his lifetime just “waiting.” A Gallup poll sampled 100 persons at random. All of them expected to do some waiting in the next few hours, but only one out of eight had any plan for utilizing the time.
Guideline #3: Carefully evaluate the demands that are made on your time. There isn’t enough time to do everything you would like to do, so you have to determine what is really important. Make a priority list. This means that you’re going to have to learn to say, “I’d like to but I just can’t say yes.” In other words, your answer is, “No.” Say it kindly, but firmly enough so people understand. What’s really important in life? Is it more money or a better job? Or having time for that favorite recreation on the weekend? You’ve got to determine what is really important.
When Jesus was here, He had something to say about the proper use of time. He said, “ … seek first his kingdom” (Matthew 6:33). He meant that man must take time for worship and prayer. In other words, take time to learn how to live. Jesus knew that it’s terribly easy to rush through life until suddenly we look back and realize we were too busy in life for the things that really count.
Guideline #4: Take time for what really counts. If you would be genuinely successful, you would also include time for your spiritual life. Worship gives you a balance, a centering that realigns your focus on God Himself. When we skip worship because we don’t place enough value on a relationship with God, we are the losers.
To cut God out of your life doesn’t give you more time; it simply robs you of the privilege of finding strength and security. The Bible tells us of a man who was tremendously successful. Money? No problem. He was wealthy in real estate holdings. But he lived only for what he could bank, and the day came when his bank deposits were frozen by death. Of him God said, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you” (Luke 12:20a). If you met God today, what would He say of your life?
Resource reading: Luke 12:13-32
