Good Stewards - Time

I thought I offer up some principles I intend to implement this new year. I call them principles not resolutions. They are not resolutions because resolutions are things people resolve to do at the beginning of the year that do not last to the end of the year. This is mainly because their resolutions are goals; goals with no plan of how they will be achieved. This is why I offer principles. Principles are lifestyle standards not goals. Standards will lead to change where goals will not, at least not without a plan of achieving them.

            There are three principles I wish to offer up. These principles will not cover every part of our lives nor are they intended to. As I implement new principles, I will share them. The wonderful thing about principles is that they do not need to be implemented only around the start of a new year. These principles I wish to share will revolve around stewardship. We are to be good steward (managers, caretakers) of our time, bodies, and our resources.

Time

Time is precious. Time is money. Time is non-replenishable. It is a commodity that once spent cannot be re-earned. Therefore, it is important that we make the most of the time we have. Each of us is given the same 24 hours in a day. Some use that time wisely while others waste it away. Just remember: our future destiny is determined by what we do today—how wisely we use that time.

            Therefore, I intend to use my time wisely. I plan to invest it in the Kingdom of God through regular prayer and study of the Word. I will work at a job that is fulfilling and rewarding. I will spend meaningful time with my family. As I once heard someone say, “You’ll never hear anyone say at the end of their life, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office’.”  One way we can ensure our time is well-spent is to keep a calendar of our activities. In doing so, we will see how our time is used and abused. We can also use a calendar (electronic or paper) to plan out our days. Calendar our prayer time and Bible-study times. As my wife and I do, schedule weekly date nights or family game nights. Do not neglect those things which are important.

            One word of wisdom: being busy and being productive is not the same thing. The devil can keep us busy so we are not productive in the important things, particularly, in the things of God. We can be busy commuting from one place to another. That doesn’t make us productive especially if it takes away from time that could be spent with the Lord or with family. If we cannot get around the commute, that may mean we have to rise earlier or go to bed later but we cannot neglect our time with the Lord. If we are faithful to Him, He will be faithful to us. Maybe He will make it possible for a shorter commute. We can be busy watching television but is that productive? Is the program educational? Is it spirit-building? We can be busy on the computer playing video games or surfing the web but that doesn’t make it productive. There is nothing wrong with spending time in this manner so long as the important things do not go neglected.

            It is just like parents tell their children: homework before television. Before I turn on the so-called, ‘idiot box’, I am going to make sure that I have spent some time with my wife and some time with the Lord and in His Word. Then, there will be time for other activities. If we put them first, we’ll find that there’s rarely any time left for God. Like our tithes, we are to give God the firstfruit not the leftovers.