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Eccle 3:1: To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven;
Time is an important element in every one’s life. In the business world, time is said to be money, this is because every moment, seconds, minutes or hour counts which ultimately translates to money. Every one in a paid employment exchanges his or her time for money. Simply put your employer pays for the time, skills and potentials you put into its works, hence your employer exchange all these things you put to work for him with money, hence time in the business world is money.
In the Christian world, time is said to be life. The little time that ticks off eventually make-up your life. Your total life is a breakdown of the time you live. Hence it is said that wise people invest time while foolish people spend time. This is why it is wise for everyone to have a scale of preference for what you spend your time on. Some people spend their time in jisting all day long; some spend all their time behind the television watching the imagination of other people put together. Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying it is bad to stay behind the television but the question is, is that the priority at that time you are watching or could you have spent that same time on other more productive thing?
Remember, time is life and when you waste time you are directly wasting life. Time defined again in another way as the sequence of event within the 24 hours of the day. The question again is that what makes up the sequence of event of your day. Time is not to be spent but to be invented. When you wake up in the morning do you have things to achieve that day or you just live as the day comes by. Please note that anyone who does not have respect for your time does not have respect for your life hence is not qualified to be your friend. Your time must be judiciously utilized at all time.
To manage your time prudently then you must first of all establish personal values for your life. You must identify what you want out of life. Your life must have a mission statement; you must know you are going to somewhere and not anywhere. This will help you to know what you should invest your time in and who to stay around you. Always remember that you do not need everybody to get to the place of your destiny. You cannot be a friend to everybody except you are not a principled child of God who all things go with. You must have values which cannot be compromised.
Secondly, every seemingly idle time must be utilized for growth. You must study to show yourself approved. You must take out time to know what is happening in other fields of life. Your idle time must not be used wastefully; it must also be invested in your growth.
Thirdly, set your priorities right, plan you day well. If you aim at nothing, you will surely get at nothing. Your priorities must be set right at all time. Not all parties and end of the year’s fun is to be attended. You are not cut-out to be at all weddings. If you are not there, the wedding will take place so what is your stress? Your priorities should not be to please another man but must be to achieve your goal in life; for everyman will give account of himself before God individually and not jointly. Be focused and mind your business.
Lastly, every night before you sleep, do a time audit. Ask yourself if you were to live the same day again, would you have done the same thing you did the same way you did it? If not then plan well for the next day. For yesterday is gone but today is within your control. Always ask yourself, what actually was time spent and time invested. Then amend your ways accordingly.
Please note that time is a seed which can bring you great harvest when utilized properly. Time is a leveler which if used well make the seemingly backward person catch up with his peers. Time is consumable if wasted it take only God to redeem, the scripture says redeeming the time because the days are evil, that is to say God can redeem time. Life is in phases while men are in sizes; you only know your phase and appreciate your size when and only if you have respect for time. Time is a currency that must be invented. Manage it wisely. Shalom! (To be continued next week )