Author:  Helen Mitchell

Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as those who do not know the meaning and purpose of life, but as those who do. (Ephesians 5:15 Phillips Translation)

The author of Ecclesiastes had two recommendations for life "under the sun". For those who don't take life seriously, fear God and keep his commandments (Ecc 12:13-14). For those who take life too seriously, enjoy life (Ecc 2:24-25). How we spend our time determines what we value and what we are investing in.

We may start our days with the best intentions to be faithful to the Lord in our work and give our best to our employer but those last minute requests, the urgent matters and the report that wasn't finished begin to weigh heavy. Unreasonable bosses, customers, circumstances or consequences of poor decisions may dictate the pace to us. We can't seem to break this cycle because we have spent too much time on the non-strategic and non-urgent matters that have come our way.

We wonder where God is in all of this. Some days at work are easy going and other days we seem to be running at a reckless pace but we always need to remember that people are more important than processes.

How we get results is as important as getting them. For the perpetually stressed and overworked who wear busyness as a badge of honor will miss investing in others and into the future. How a Christian treats others in the course of getting the job done is an opportunity to reflect the character of God. We cannot be too busy to say "thank you" or notice the person working next to us.

Time management is life management.

Those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
(1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV)

Pressure is caused by poor choices.

Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are. Help us to spend them as we should.
(Psalm 90:12 LB)

Four Tips for Time Management

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise . . . but as wise, (sensible, intelligent people).
(Ephesians 5:15 AMP)

1. Analyze your lifestyle.
   • Give careful thought to your ways. (Haggai 1:7 NIV)
2. Prioritize what's important.
   • Do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17 AMP)
3. Economize your energy.
   • We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. (Romans 13:13 MSG)
4. Utilize the present.
   • Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days. (Ephesians 5:16 GW)

Until next week...

Discussion Questions:

1. When you look at how you invest your time at work, what has been your return on that investment?
2. It is too easy to get caught up in non urgent time wasters that are keeping us from moving a big idea forward or developing an important matter. What are your time wasters and what is the big idea that needs to be done?
3. How much is God a part of your workday and the things to be done?