Claiming Responsibility for Our Time

This past spring, a leadership meeting topic was our use of our time and the use of planners to help us master our schedule, to put our “to dos” in writing to help us be accountable.

In the book, “Leadership Essentials for Women,” Debbie Lloyd is the author of chapter three, “Time Management Essentials.” Early in the chapter, she wrote, “…time management is life management, discerning priorities, having the right perspective, claiming responsibility for our time, accepting interruptions as opportunities, learning when to delegate and when to say no, and feeling good about the choices we have made.” She goes on to write, “When we master our time, we master our lives.” And then she gives the example of Jesus and His control of time.

 

She wrote that Jesus understood His mission and He “measured His use of time against that,” making intentional choices to invest “prime time.” She summed it up, writing, “Jesus practiced the principle: where your priorities are, there your time will be.”

 

Scripture tells us to use our time with wisdom and diligence. (Ephesians 5:15-16) Jesus had an attitude of Kingdom priorities and so should we as His followers.

 

Debbie Lloyd wrote that we’ll have a better job of redeeming [our] time if we simplify our life and get organized— “getting organized ultimately takes less time and energy” and helps you “find more time for the important things in life.” She’s right on. Simplifying your life helps you move with more freedom.

 

Our calling from God, and we all have one, is important or God wouldn’t have given it to us. I just was thinking of this when I read Acts 26:14 recently. Jesus had a calling on Paul’s life. Think about how Paul described himself as being highly educated in God’s Word. It seems there’s a sense of a battle that went on in his soul. And Christ called him on it— “It is hard for you to kick [repeatedly] against the goads”—what a farmer used to keep an ox going in the right direction— “[offering pointless resistance].” (AMP) Jesus told him, “Get up and stand on your feet” and gave Paul his calling.

 

That’s what each one of us as the Lord’s followers need to do, especially in these days. You and I need to get up and stand on our feet. We need to take our calling seriously. The times are changing fast—we are seeing our culture and the world sliding faster and faster uncontrolled down the slippery slope to the crash at the end.

 

Our Lord could return any moment. Let’s be found faithful.

 

Listen, stay alert, stand tall in the faith, be courageous, and be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (The Voice)