WISE LIVING
We have all heard those popular time sayings. ‘Time flies’! ‘Time waits for nobody.’ And of course, the usual answer you get when something hasn’t been done or you haven’t seen someone for a while – ‘Sorry, I have been busy’. Everyone you meet, everyone you ask is busy, busy, busy. We are all so busy, but are we busy doing the right things?
What would happen if we had more than 24 hours in a day? Would it make any drastic or significant change in the way we live if we had more time; if we had more hours in a day, more days in a week? I really don’t think there would be any remarkable difference. The real problem isn’t having more time, the real issue is being able to prioritize and maximize the time we have. The challenge is being able to see every day, every moment, every time we have at our disposal with eternity in mind.
The Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:16-21 is loaded with life lessons on how to use our time wisely, how to focus on the things that truly matter and not look back at our lives and have regrets. The rich man in this parable had a number of achievements. He wasn’t a lazy man or someone without goals. He was a hard worker who had a flourishing business (Luke 12:16). His business was growing in leaps and bounds, expanding and moving forward. There was nothing like financial stagnation or dryness in his life (Luke 12:18). He had savings; more than enough savings to fall back on in the event of a tragedy or calamity (Luke 2:18-19). So, what went wrong in this man’s life? Simply this: He spent his time filling his life up with things that would boost his CV, give him an eye-catching business profile, put him on the top 10 list of rich and successful men, but he did nothing at all to fill up his life with things that have lasting value. When God showed up, He wasn’t prepared! Despite the fact that he was stinking rich, someone a lot of people would have loved to have the kind of money he had, his life had nothing for heaven to smile at. His offence wasn’t that he was rich, God has nothing against us having money or being prosperous. The big mistake the man made was that he didn’t spend quality time investing in His relationship with God. He did nothing whatsoever to add value to the kingdom of God. All he did was spend his time working hard for food that spoils, not for food that endures to eternity (John 6:27). If all we do is spend our time focusing and working for things that will spoil, things we can’t carry with us out of this world, then we are missing it; we are not using our time wisely.
In John 9:4, Jesus said “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day, night is coming when no one can work”. In other words, we have limited time here on earth. While it is still day; while we have the breath of life, let’s make the best use of our time by devoting our life to the work and will of God. This doesn’t mean spending your whole day in church. It means much more than that. We understand from John 4:34 that Jesus spent His time doing the will and work of God. Acts 10:38 helps to explain the work and will of God. It tells us that “Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him”. Jesus went about impacting lives, making a difference in people’s lives, being a blessing to everyone that came His way. Jesus didn’t make His life all about Himself; what was comfortable and convenient for Him. Jesus didn’t spend His time consumed with His personal interests and desires (John 6:38). He took time to seek the face of God to know what the Father wanted Him to do (John 14:31). He didn’t just wake up and do what was popular or follow the ‘in thing’ at that time. He was directed by the Spirit of God per time. The way to reduce and overcome time wasters is to have Your steps directed by the Lord. That was Jesus’ secret to living wisely. If what you are presently doing is what the Spirit of God has directed you to do, then you are definitely spending your time wisely.
At home, at work, in church, in every segment and sector of our nation, everywhere and every time there are countless opportunities to grow in our walk with God, be a blessing, make a difference, and do something that will count for eternity. Let’s seize those opportunities, let’s use our time wisely, let’s redeem the time.
PHOTO CREDIT: Tachina Lee on Unsplash
