Invest Your Time in Quarantine
Invest your time in quarantine.
My mother worked 35 years for the same bank. She held several different positions over her time there, but the one I found most interesting was her time in the investment department. My mother's job was to take people's money and turn it into more.
When it comes to time, we cannot turn it into more. We are only given so much time in an hour, a day, a year, and a life (Job 14:5). Though we cannot make more time, we can invest it in a way that gives our time more value.
The Bible says in Ephesians 5:16,
"Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:16
We have to make wise use of our time. Why? "Because the days are evil." What does it mean that the days are evil?
- Having time is not necessarily a good thing. So you may have been given a lot of extra time while in quarantine. There's a danger in having this time if you don't do something useful with it.
- Because of our sin nature, we are not very good with time. We are more prone to give our time to more passive things. We are not naturally inclined to effort and having to put energy into thinking and doing. Because of our sinful nature, having time just gives us more time to make sinful choices.
- Our culture is not going to help us with our time. Our culture is not concerned that you please God with your time. The entertainment industry and social media will offer you plenty of ways to waste your time.
This being the case, we must be intentional with our time. We need Christ's help with our time. We must be redemptive with our time if it is to become a truly good time.
Valuable Investments of Time
When people would bring my mother money, there would be counsel as to where it could be applied and become more valuable. The investment department would work with the investor to form a strategy. And then every dollar would be designated to a fund or a bond where it would grow.
Your schedule during quarantine needs to be an investment strategy. Anything worth doing takes time.
Think back through your goals. Your personal goals during quarantine will take time. Schedule it and invest it.
Do the same with your family goals and your spiritual goals.
You need to put a limit on things that waste time. There is nothing wrong with watching your favorite show, but how much is too much? We need to stay connected on social media, but without a limit, you could waste a lot of time. Remember, we are not naturally good with our time, and Facebook isn't going to give you a notification that you've been on too long.
Now that you may have some time invest it. Make it valuable. Don't let it go to waste.
Bible Study
Read Romans 13:11-14.
- List the commands in the passage. Look for ways to obey them.
- What does this passage teach you about the nature of time?
- What does this passage teach you about sin?
Challenge
Recall 3 beneficial investments of time you have made in the past 30 days. List 3 potentially beneficial investments of time you could make this week. List 1 investment of time you can make for your personal goals, your family goals, and your spiritual goals.
Comments