Wait! It’s September? What happened to August? I know I sat down to write this post last month, but when did August become last month? Oh well, I guess it is September. School is back in session, we are saying goodbye to summer, and hopefully fall is not too far down the road.
Life can be like that sometimes. We have so much happening all at once that we inevitably miss doing something, or we are running around so fast that we blink and realize much more of our life has gone by us than we realized. The afternoon I sat down to pen this note is an excellent example. I’ve barely written two paragraphs and already a half dozen other things are vying for my attention. As the days begin to get shorter, it’s a good time to remember that all of our time is limited. I do not say this to get us looking ahead to the grave. I say this to remind us that time in this plane of existence is finite which means we must make choices with how we spend this precious commodity. This may not sound like the type of thing you would expect to hear in a pastor’s post, but Jesus was largely concerned with how we spend our time in this life. Even though you may never read the words in the Bible, Jesus was all about time management.
So many voices out there try to convince us that Jesus was primarily concerned with where we go when we die; however, Jesus’ primary interest was in how we live this life. In other words, Jesus wants us to consider how we are spending our time. Is our time spent pursuing activities of loving God and loving neighbor, or is our activity set centered on loving ourselves and possibly those closest to us? Another way to think about it is, are we concerned with accumulating wealth for ourselves, or are we concerned with making sure that everyone has their daily bread?
Selfishness and self-centeredness are probably two of the hardest human conditions to overcome. Even the most selfless person’s reality still centers around themselves. It is simply the nature of our existence and how we relate to time and space. While we can be encouraged, “to walk in another person’s shoes,” we have no real way of ever knowing what it is like to be someone other than who we are. It is because of this condition that Jesus was constantly reminding those who would listen that the world does not revolve around them and their immediate community. Jesus demonstrated throughout his ministry that it is not enough to simply pray for someone. As followers of Christ, we are called to put action to our prayers. As Christians, we are not just to pray for a better world, we are to be active partners with God in bringing it about.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, also recognized the dangers of a self-centered existence. While he expended a great deal of energy in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through words, he also spent as much or more effort with his hands and his feet. John was meticulous with his time. He understood that he had been given a limited amount of it, and he wanted to make sure he was doing as much good as he could with what he had been given. He proclaimed the gospel in churches and fields. He addressed the physical and social needs of those he encountered in both the city and the country.
I invite us to take a look at our calendars and explore how we are spending our time. What is it that we are so passionate about that it takes up a large portion of our calendars? How might we engage in that activity in such a way that it is a method of sharing the gospel with our neighbors? Is there a parent on our child’s soccer team that needs help with transportation? Could our football buddies commit to bringing food for our food pantry when they come over for the game with their five layer dip? Would we be willing to share our passion for reading by volunteering to read to students in one of our local schools? Do we like to go fishing? If so, could we take someone fishing or volunteer at a charity fishing event? If we like to bake, could we take some sweet treats to a lonely neighbor, an assisted living facility, or a school’s teachers? If our gift is administration, could we volunteer our time at an organization that is working for the betterment of our community? The possibilities are endless.
Budgeting our time for God’s purposes does not have to be hard. God has already given us talents. Jesus challenges us to take notice of those around us and use those God given talents for revealing the kingdom of God. Time is short. September is slipping by! Let’s not waste another minute!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Bryan