The Value of Time

The Value of Time

Day after day I find myself as well and many of those around me spending countless minutes, and even hours tending to a plethora of seemingly meaningless distractions. As a man who serves God on a full time basis I have a dedication and sense of urgency to share with all who will listen or observe the saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it is with the pen, other times with the sword, and often than not on my knees seeking His will. The greatest challenge I face in this quest is oddly enough not the obvious forms of attack by the enemy, but rather the far less obvious, sometimes they are so obscure to the untrained eye that they would not be considered attacks at all, but rather simply normal goings on. However when one views attacks as anything that takes you away from the true work of the ministry your view does change, you begin to notice things once left ignored. You find yourself in a rather lonely place, a place many would rather ignore. You see time is the one commodity we all have, the one thing we cannot waste, purchase, trade for, hope for, or acquire with any amount of wealth or effort. When we are born onto this earth each of our days is numbered, and none of us know how many days, minutes, or even seconds we have been allotted. Therefore each second, minute, hour, day, and more should be cherished like nothing else we posses. When you adopt this understanding and attitude you find yourself guarding time, making better use of it, cherishing it.
So what are the time wasters of which I speak? Well for each of us they truly are unique, after all each of us must determine on our own what our time should be spent doing. For example my oldest daughter has two beautiful daughters and surely each moment she spends nurturing them is time well spent. I have a friend who is a paramedic and every moment he spends caring for someone who is fighting for their lives is yes time well spent. When my children desire to share with me the challenges of their day and question the meaning of life, or just want a hug, yes that too is time well spent.
It is not these that are the wasters of time but rather those things that keep us busy keeping busy and accomplishing little. For some they are the moments spent satisfying curiosities, squelching rumors, comforting hurt feelings, listening to excuses, those moments spent listening to people attempting to justify their actions even though their actions were contrary to the will of God. I wonder truly how many people have their time wasted by others who have made poor choices and now are desiring to be bailed out rather than facing the consequences on their own actions. How many innocent lives have been lost in the process of saving the lives of those who have chosen to throw their own away. How many people have gone hungry because people have chosen to purchase drugs rather than food. How many children have been neglected as the result of people choosing to neglect themselves. How many babies have died or been sacrificed because young women have sought the attention they deserved from people who didn’t deserve theirs. How many of Gods children have not heard the gospel because those who have are not spending their time following the greatest commandment of all? “Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” The reality is that far too many who claim to believe in Christ spend their time, justifying behavior, attempting to feel worthy of salvation, or even criticizing their fellow believers, an activity never sanctioned by the word, and yes they waste the time of all who choose to listen. The reality is no matter what the time wasters are in your life cutting a few of them out may not be a bad idea, the question for you is what has God called me to do? You see what I may view as a waste of time may be exactly what God has called and gifted others to attend to, therefore we must each by His leading determine our roles, and walk in them.
Maybe my words seem harsh to some, and yes I know I am not politically correct, but neither was my savior, the one whose steps I am not worthy to walk in. I can however do all I can to stop or slow the waste of time by those closest to me. It is never my intention to point fingers or direct my thoughts at particular individuals, hey we all fall short of the glory of God but choosing too, well that is just a waste of time now isn’t it?

Pastor Gene Burroughs
Shasta Lake Church