Many of us work our money hard, especially as a homeschool family. We don’t have any choice but to make the most of every penny by borrowing curriculum when possible, finding it used at other times. We use produce co-ops and coupons to make the most of our food budget.
But do we focus on spending our time as wisely? Are we as good of stewards of each minute or hour as we could be?
Many of us are masters at multi-tasking so I can already hear your protest as I write. Multi-tasking is not the same as being a good steward. We can cram more things into our schedule but that doesn’t mean that we are doing the right things—only more.
Many nights, I have awaken in the night, literally in a sweat of panic, wondering what good things I was focusing on to the detriment of the best. In particular, what small, yet critical issue was I leaving unsaid in my parenting. “Lord, where am I scrubbing the deck while the ship is sinking?” My constant prayer has been, “Lord please reveal where I have gone wrong, where I have stepped off the path. What I have said too much and what I need to say for the first time.”
As always He is faithful to reveal and to speak truth into my life when I ask. I am not sure about the theological ramifications of my next belief, but at times, I believe the Lord will speak into our lives regardless of our desire to hear from Him. Other days, He will remain silent until we ask. As I said, I don’t understand the theological implications of that thought, but it has been my experience.
In parenting, God has frequently remained silent until I have asked for His input. The same goes with my own spiritual walk with the Lord. He hasn’t jumped in with a to-do list to organize my day or my years. However, when an event occurs, one of those events which has stripped away my self confidence to reveal a crack in my worldview or my beliefs or my self esteem, He has responded swiftly and clearly to my cry for insight and help.
Because of His ability to repair my soul in minutes, He and I have made a lot of headway in my life because I have submitted countless times over the years to His revealing and healing touch. I have often thanked Him for being my counselor. Unlike an earthly counselor, He is a free counselor and fixes in minutes what would take a human counselor years to identify and solve.
I used to meet an older person, wow, someone maybe 50, and think they are so wise. I wish I had been born as wise as they were. Now that I am approaching 50, I understand. They weren’t born any wiser than you or I, but they have spent decades working on their spiritual walk. What we work on is what we will accomplish. If we work at eating, we will accomplish weight gain. If we work on exercise, we will accomplish strong muscles. If we work at watching tv, we will win a contest about movie star or tv trivia.
Unlike other things, God has given some extra leverage to the effort we spend on our spiritual life. Think of a small drop of water hitting the same rough boulder over a few decades. That small drop of water will accomplish much in smoothing out a spot on that boulder.
Same with the effort we give to our spiritual walk. Most of the time, God isn’t asking for an hour a day, maybe only a few minutes. A drop of effort on our spiritual journey can produce results like you aren’t able to envision. He will use that small drop of effort to smooth out wide areas of space in our souls, actually expanding them to include thoughts goals, and values we never dreamed.
Then, when we turn 50 or 60 or whatever age, our efforts will have produced wisdom which is then available to serve us in our old age.
What are you spending your time on? Are you merely packing more into each day? Or are you putting first things first? Time is more finite than money. We can always earn more money; we can’t add one minute to our life. Spend those minutes wisely.
Let me close with Matthew 7:24-29
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Everyone hears the words
But only a few act on them
Those who act on them are building a house on the rock.
Storms come to all — to those with houses built on rocks
— to those with houses built on sand
But only those who heard and acted building their house on the rock will survive the storms
Those with houses built on sand will fall, according to verse 27 they won’t only fall but great will be their fall.