"There have been very few times I’ve ever taken a taxi. That’s because whenever I’m in a big city I always notice the rate charts they post on the vehicle that show they get so much for the first 1/10th mile a whole bunch more for the next 10th and even more money for when they get stuck in traffic and have to sit still.
Life is like a taxi cab. The meter keeps on ticking, whether you’re going somewhere or just sitting still. In life, that meter is called time. As much as you would like to slow it down or make it stop, you simply can’t. It keeps on ticking at a steady pace.
Nobody likes wasting their money on a taxi that is sitting still. We want to be going somewhere and producing something because we are aware of that ticking meter. Likewise, when you become mindful of God’s meter, called time, ticking away your life, you’ll become equally mindful to redeem the time.
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"Next time you see a flock of migrating birds in a “V” formation you’ll notice that one leg of the V is often longer than the other. Now why that is? The answer is quite simple. There are more birds in one leg than the other.
Actually, those birds fly in a V because the bird at the point of the V is breaking the wind, making flight easier for the birds behind him. God programmed into those birds the knowledge that by taking turns, they could all get where they were going faster and with less effort.
That illustrates a principle of time management. By taking turns at the exceptionally demanding or unpleasant tasks, we lighten the load on everyone. For example, God commanded us in Scripture to take one day in seven as a day of rest. Yet most of us like to eat after church, which means work. But by taking turns cleaning up the after church meal we can make sure everyone gets a day of rest and redeems the time.
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When do most of your interruptions occur? Early in the morning? Right after lunch? First of the week or last of the week?
Most of our work interruptions occur in cycles. Clients call more at some times than others. The boss is more likely to drop a surprise project on us right after staff meeting on Wednesday. The baby wakes every afternoon around 2:00.
If we can identify when interruptions are most likely to occur, we can avoid scheduling big projects during those time and avoid a lot of frustration.
God created the universe and all of nature to operate on predictable cycles. While cycles of human behavior are not a predictable as the planets, there generally are patterns we can discern and plan around. Taking those cycles into account when planning our days and weeks will give us a starting point for planning projects at times we aren’t likely to be disturbed. And working uninterrupted is a smart way to redeem the time.
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Do you ever procrastinate by rationalizing away your housework? Here’s a list of excuses I came across recently:
I don’t do windows because…I love birds and don’t want one flying into a clean window and getting hurt.
I don’t wax floors because…I am terrified a guest will slip and hurt themselves. I’ll feel terrible and they may sue me.
I don’t disturb cobwebs because…I want every creature to have a home of their own.
I don’t put things away because…my husband would never find them again.
I don’t do gourmet meals when I entertain because…I don’t want my guests to be stressed over what to make when they invite me over for dinner.
I don’t iron because…I choose to believe them whey they say “Permanent Press.”
I don’t stress much about anything because “A Type” personalities die young and I want to stick around a while.
If that sounds like you, remember, don’t procrastinate. Ask the Lord to help you initiate and redeem the time.
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