038 Decision Making 101: A Question of Time

When it comes to living wisely, there is no more important area than the matter of your time.  Your time equals your life.  You can run out of money and still have some life left.  You can run out of friends and still have some life left.  But once you’ve run out of time, you have no life left.

We’re told in Ephesians 5:15-16 to live “not as unwise, but as wise.” It then goes on to say “making the most of every opportunity.” From this we get this great question that can guide our decision making:

In light of my past experiences, my current circumstances, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wisest use of my time?

In the language of the New Testament, there are two words used for “time.” One is chronos. It means a space of time, whether long or short. It’s specific time. The minutes of life, you could say. 

The other word is kairos. These are the moments of life. The special seasons that come along never to be repeated.  Ephesians 5:16 tells us to make the most of every one of these kairos moments. Opportunities when the door is open, the heart is tender, and salvation is near.

 Here are a few reminders that can help us redeem the time well. 

1.     There is a cumulative value to investing small amounts of time over a large period.

You can’t expect to get the results you desire by going to the gym for one marathon workout session. But over time, you’ll see the payoff. The small investments of time over time add up. It’s the same with investing in your marriage, with your kids, or in your spiritual life. 

2.     There are rarely any immediate consequences for neglecting single installments of time.

If you miss one date night with your spouse, will that kill your marriage? No, but it makes it easier to miss two or three or more, and over time the relationship suffers. If you miss going to church once in a while, does it really damage your spiritual life? Maybe not, but it sets a precedent that can become a pattern that over time will keep you from the life you hoped for.

3.     Eventually the investments made or not made add up and pay dividends of one sort or another.

There will come a day when you will be either glad for your commitment of time over time…or sad for your lack of commitment. When the bottom drops out of your life, you will be so glad for the commitment of time you gave to deepen your connection to God. When a crisis comes in your marriage, the time you both invested in your relationship will help you weather that storm.

4.     In the critical areas of life, you cannot make up for lost time.

You can’t make up for a year of ignoring your kids by taking them on a trip to the amusement park. You can’t make up for a year of overeating and lack of exercise with a single day at the gym. There’s no shortcut in the important areas of life. They require time. 

So, in light of all this…what is the wise thing to do?  

What is one thing you could begin doing this week in each of these areas, that if you continued doing would have a positive impact on your life?   

• Physically

• Relationally

• Financially

• Spiritually

Note – The book “The Best Question Ever” by Andy Stanley served as a major resource for Dave’s study.

Text: Ephesians 5:15-17

Originally recorded January 20, 2008, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.