Time.
Have you ever thought of the myriad uses of this word?
Time out. (sports fans know this and parents use it for discipline)
Time is money.
Time to go.
Time crunch.
Not enough time.
Out of time.
Time sensitive material.
Time keeps on ticking.
There is pressure in the passing of time if you’re a to do list person, or a person dealing with challenging health issues, or a bride feeling the weight of the upcoming nuptials.
We are told to maximize time. Don’t waste time. Time is valuable. Time is a non-renewable resource.
With all these statements we could begin to feel the temptation to fill our time budget to the limit of the seconds of every day. Many people do. I know I did for years.
So when you come face to face with commands and invitations from God in the form of Be still; come away to a quiet place and rest, you might respond with I’ll rest when I die.
You might die because of no rest.
Time is a resource given to all of us in the same amount daily. 24 hours. And like money, you have the opportunity to budget the use of time. Many of us use our time the same way, eat, work, sleep and get up and do it all over again. But what if you started to think about time as a gift that you can share rather than a list that must be checked?
What if you shared your time with others who would be refreshed by your presence or encouraged by you giving them time?
Children. Youth. Elderly. Developmentally disabled. Community groups. Church. The list goes on.
What if we began to see the time we have here as a way we can offer something back for all that we have been given?
You might want to tune me out or click away from this post. I get that especially if you’re feeling the pinch of “not enough time” already.
But wait a second.
Think about how you are already giving time to others. Sometimes we give because we feel obligated. It’s our job. But is it possible to think about what you already do from the shift of giving a gift rather than fulfilling an obligation?
Your presence at the dinner table, fully focused on those around it. Or your presence with a client. Or the cashier at the store. Your full attention, your attentive presence is a gift of time.
Slowing down, taking inventory, being present are all ways to spend the budget of time we’re given. When we give an account of how we spent the time given us from birth to death what will be on your list?
What are you already doing that can encourage others? Please give us some ideas!