As this school year started, I put a verse on my chalkboard which I wanted to encourage the kids as they started a new school year. The verse I chose was this:
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16
I wanted my kids to be careful how they spend their time this school year. They can come home and do their homework, or they can “forget” their homework at school. They can choose to read a book or watch TV. It is interesting when I want to teach my kids something, Christ has a way of holding up a mirror to my face to see how I am measuring up myself.
Less than a week after I put this verse up, my daughter introduced me to a game I had never played before called 2048. It is like a slide puzzle where you have to add numbers together to all add up to 2048. I realized at the end of a Saturday that I had probably spent about 3 hours of my Saturday on and off playing that game. What a waste!
“…making the best use of the time…”
I surely did not make the best use of my time that day. I am convinced that I should not be wasteful with my time, but I do think reading a good book or playing a game on my phone is not totally a bad thing. However, spending three hours playing one game only to say that I don’t have time to read my bible or lead a bible study or spend time with my kids is wrong.
Some days I am literally up in the morning and don’t sit down until 10:30 pm. Other days, I probably waste time. I am just trying to be more intentional with my time. Am I spending my time focusing on my priorities like God, my family, my friends, or something else?
This verse in my face every day has been so convicting to me to be careful. The days are evil, and I need to be aware that the enemy wants to use my ineffectiveness. If I waste a whole day playing games or looking at Facebook or watching TV, it is a whole day I wasn’t being used by Christ. I am just trying to be more aware of where that balance is between having some relaxing down time and wasting my time when I could be being used by Christ to do something else.
“‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23, ESV