Time is life

Time is life, and whatever we do with our time – spending, harnessing, killing, wasting, etc. – we actually do with our life.

As Roger Babson put it, “Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present.”

Time is, arguably, the most valuable commodity. But, unlike other treasured commodities and possessions, it cannot be hoarded, earned or bought and it slips away whether utilised or not. It is commonly and equally possessed by all, as God placed the same number of hours per day at every person’s disposal. So, no one can actually be said to have more or less time than the other.

So, when someone says he doesn’t have time for this or that, like serving in a church committee, church service or programme, attending a function or engaging in some particular activity, he actually means that his time is for other things or for his self-indulgence.

Times are needed for different things in life including recreation, social life, office work, business, family life, study, service, worship, etc. A lot of things demand and compete for our time, such that if we are not careful, we yield much time to non-essentials at the expense of the essentials. Since time doesn’t change but remains 24 hours a day, we are the ones that need to change (adjust) or manage ourselves and what we do with our time. This calls for prudence and discipline in how we use our time. When the time is under-engaged, it appears slow and a day may seem long, though same 24 hours.

Also, when the time is over-engaged, it appears fast and a day may seem short, though still the same 24 hours. All we can actually manage is ourselves. We can neither have more nor less than 24 hours a day.

Time cannot really be excess or dearth: Neither to be wasted nor hoarded, but utilised. Time passes and does not return; and so should be made best use of; else it vanishes and not be there again. There are many temptations to waste time – many things that destroy time or draw us away from the proper use and utilisation/improvement of time, which should be guarded against.

Man is given just enough time to accomplish God’s purpose and design for him.

Our life is timed and what we make out of our time is what we make out of our life. Time is life.

Time is also God’s resource entrusted to us as stewards. We owe it as duty to use every time at our disposal for the purpose and glory of God and not for self-gratifications indulgences. It is certainly a misapplication of our time to spend it daily in the pursuit of temporal and material benefits, leaving out God, His honour and glory. Many a Christian keep God out of their life and time: Resisting and even refusing service and involvement in the church.

The reason: “I’m sorry, I have no time.” But it is actually because he or she is a bad steward of God’s time entrusted to him/her. We must be careful in the management of God’s time, bearing in mind of the inevitability of God’s audit and accountability.

Christians are enjoined in Ephesians 5:15-16 to “…walk circumspectly…, redeeming the time”. Redeeming the time, here, reflects buying or recovering time, steadily improving every present moment so as to make most use of it. To redeem time presupposes and implies a right knowledge of the use and end of time, high valuation of its worth and resolution to rescue it from all that destroy it.

In order to make most use of our time, we need, among other things, to create goals; set time limits for tasks; identify activities capable of stealing time such as Internet surfing, reading email, social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), texting, private phone calls, etc. and take charge; prioritise and delegate.

Your time is in your hand; and it is your life. Misuse it and your life is ruined. Utilise it and your life is made. Time is life.

The Venerable Dr Princewill Onyinyechukwu Ireoba is the Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.

princewillireoba@gmail.com, trinityfoundationibrucentre@gmail.com