Last week we began our exploration of the spiritual discipline of stewardship. In that post, we defined stewardship as taking responsibility for the things the Lord has entrusted to us. Things such as our time, talents, and treasure.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will consider each of these areas – time, talents, and treasure – through the lens of stewardship.
Stewardship of Time
Christlikeness develops in us as we spend time with God – in Bible reading, prayer, worship, service, and all the other spiritual disciplines. At the heart of our spiritual growth is the disciplined use of time. The use of our time is, therefore, a spiritual discipline.
Note in John 17:4, Jesus’ prayer at the end of His earthly ministry, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” Just as He did with Jesus, God entrusts us with time. He also gives us work to do, work to do during the time He has given us.
As we grow in Christlikeness, it should become increasingly clear to us why the disciplined use of our time is so very important.
Three Biblical Reasons for Stewarding Our Time Well
The Days are Evil
In Ephesians 5:15-16, the apostle Paul urged the recipients of his letter to “[make] the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Things certainly haven’t changed in this regard. Have they?
We live in a culture that makes it difficult to use our time wisely. As in Paul’s day, our world is filled with evil – evil that actively works to steal our time from spiritual pursuits. From technology and screens to useless talk and recreation to unchecked thoughts, the way we spend our time often leads us toward evil, not toward growth in Christlikeness.
The way we use our time is important because time is the stuff of which our days are made. If we choose not to discipline ourselves in the use of time for growing in Christlikeness, the evil days in which we live will most certainly keep us from it.
Time is a Limited Resource
Time is actually one of the most limited resources we have (Psalm 39:4). It is neither recyclable nor renewable. Many in the world today recognize the brevity of life. In response, some choose to live it up by indulging in that last helping of dessert, purchasing whatever their heart desires, or walking out on relational commitments. Others respond by clinging to healthy diets, committing to rigorous exercise plans, or undergoing various cosmetic surgeries in an effort to stop the clock and retain their youth.
As Christians, we must have a different understanding of time and allow it to guide our response. Time is short (James 4:14). Even the longest earthly life span is short in comparison to eternity. Time is passing (1 John 2:17). It is continuously slipping away. We cannot save it or buy it or make it up, for it is always passing.
The way we steward our time is important. We must make our time count for God’s kingdom work and our growth in Christlikeness. And the time to do it is now.
We are Accountable
Romans 14:12 tells us that “each of us will give an account of himself to God.” “Each of us,” of course, means everyone – saved and unsaved alike. Even though we know that believers are saved by grace alone and not by works, our heavenly reward will be determined on the basis of our works (1 Corinthians 3:13-15), which includes our use of time.
Other Scriptures that inform us of our accountability include:
- Matthew 12:36 – Where Jesus tells us that “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.”
- Matthew 25:14-30 – The parable where Jesus teaches that we are accountable for all the talents we have been given and how we use them.
- Hebrews 5:12 – A passage in which God chastises Jewish Christians for failing to use their time in a way that develops spiritual maturity.
Surely from these passages, we can see that:
- If we are sure to give an account for carelessly spoken words, we will doubtless also give an account for carelessly used time.
- If God will hold us accountable for all the talents we have received, certainly He will hold us accountable for the time He has given us.
- And if He holds believers still on earth responsible for not using their time wisely for growth in Christlikeness, He will undoubtedly do so at the Judgment in heaven.
So What?
Resurrection truth changes everything.
Our time on earth may be limited. But our days of living are eternal.
Rather than squandering away our time on earth or using it to build our own temporal kingdoms, we can make our days count by stewarding our time faithfully and wisely.
