A Time For Everything
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)
Time is what makes up life, but how we use time makes up our lives. Use time to work for you not against you. Time is the most valuable asset. Everyone gets the same amount of time in a day. However, we can prolong our time or shorten it by how we live.
Use time for good and not for bad. Don’t waste your time because once it’s gone, it’s gone. There is a time to be born and a time to die. What we do in-between the two determines our quality of life and our eternity.
Qualify people to determine who will get some of your time. Invest in people who will be a good use of your time. Don’t let others steal your time or monopolize it. There is a time to plant and sow into people, but there is also a time to uproot if the harvest from a relationship is not good. Weep with those who weep and at other times celebrate others’ victories as if they were your own. Balance the two. Too much weeping or too much levity is not good.
There is a time to get and a time to let loose. Get good relationships and lose bad ones. Keep away from bad companions. They will only make you miserable and will waste your time and resources. However, don’t be afraid to sow into people who need it and allow others to sow into you so they can reap a harvest. Give the good things of God to make the lives of others better.
Sometimes it is right to tell things to others and other times it is best to remain silent. Knowing the difference between the two takes wisdom and reliance on God. Let God lead you. we swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Love people but hate sin. Love people enought to speak the truth in love.
There is a time of war and a time of peace. Fight evil and injustice. In times of peace, rebuild.
As we follow these verses from Ecclesiastes, we can maintain balanced lives, have healthy relationships, and make the most of the time we have been given.
