Making the most of our time

Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time – Col.4:5 RSV

Reading passage: Col. 4:2-6

What is the most precious gift of God, other than Jesus, of course? It is time! Money, if lost today, could be re-gained tomorrow. Anything material can be regained, except time. You are given only a fixed amount of time, equal to your life span. So, spending time means spending life. You cannot afford to lose it through laziness or mismanagement. We must make the most of our time!

Paul asks us to continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (v.2). While in this world, we get the most from time spent in the presence of the Lord! When time is spent on silly talk, slander, watching vain things on the TV or surfing useless sites on the internet, we lose time that could have been spent with the Lord. We lose it for ever!

Another way to make use of time is to spend it for the lonely and the neglected. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. James 1.27. What they need most is not our money, but our time. Visiting orphans and widows in their affliction needs time, but God honors it. He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19: 17.

So, making the most of your time means spending it in the presence of God and also giving it away to the needy and the poor. The remaining time, if any at all, – should be spent wisely. The Wise will speak only gracious words that are seasoned with salt (v.6). When we use harsh words, people are offended. Then again, we need to find time to mend our relations. So, if we are not wise, we are not only losing the time spent for quarrel, but also the time spent on reconciliation!

Prayer: Jesus, help me to make the best use of my time by spending it with you and also with the afflicted. AMEN

Further readings: John 9:4-5; I Cor. 7:24-34