1 year – 52 weeks – 365 days – 8,760 hours – 525,600 minutes – 31,536,000 seconds
The beginning of a new year always causes me to think about time and how I have spent it. When did I use it well – when did I waste it – should I have spent more time doing this or not doing that?
According to a study in USA Today here is how the average
American spends at least some of their free time in a year:
1460 Hours Watching Television
1000 Hours Listening to Music
365 Hours on the Computer / Internet
261 Hours Reading
150 Hours Watching Movies
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are to: “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16.
Time is a gift. Once it is wasted it can never be recovered. We must redeem the time the Lord has given us and spend it wisely. Each day we are given opportunities for study, prayer, worship, opportunities for witnessing, building relationship and service to others, but this time will come to an end for each of us, therefore we need to strive daily to be wise about how we use our time.
In particular we need to be wise about how we spend time with unbelievers. We do need to spend time with them. How else could we gain an opportunity to share our faith? But we must be wise and always be praying and looking for that opportunity to share our faith with them. Again Paul said in Colossians 4:5-6 that we are to: 5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without (Christ), redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
Many of you may be like me, evaluating how you spent your time last year and considering how you will in the coming year. I ask you to join me in a resolution for this New Year – that is to resolve ourselves as believers to make the most of our time and use it wisely by taking every opportunity to influence others for the sake of Christ.
In His Name and For His Sake, Brother Scott >
