24 Jul W1: Managing Our Time
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Matthew 7:24-27 | 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
OBJECTIVE
To learn to steward our time by prioritizing what’s truly important and what matters for our eternity.
CONTENT
What we consider important, we will prioritize. However, many times we fail to prioritize what really matters. How can the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders teach us valuable lessons about time management?
Investing Time in Building a Solid Foundation
- The wise builder built on rock. It is not easy because rocks are hard and heavy but the wise builder invested time and effort into laying a strong foundation for his house.
- Setting the foundation is the very first and most important step of building a structure. It is not a last minute emergency measure. Imagine the wise builder spent a lot of time solidifying his foundation whereas the foolish builder already started building up because his foundation was quickly made. What the world sees is the magnificent building, but what matters is what is not seen, which is the foundation.
- Similarly, time spent in prayer, studying God’s Word, and cultivating a relationship with Him are not naturally easy for us to do because the results are not directly visible.
- However, they form the bedrock of our faith and character. Without dedicating time to spiritual growth and self-reflection, our lives are like buildings built on shaky ground, susceptible to collapse in times of trial and temptation. It’s not possible to set the foundation when the rain and wind arrive, that’s much too late and the building will easily crumble.
Prioritizing the Kingdom of God
- All of us have been gifted a variety of gifts, services and works (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) and God wants us to use them for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). Once we have identified God’s calling on us, we need to identify key priorities that make up that calling. These priorities will be compromised, if not abandoned altogether, if we don’t plan for them with some intentionality.
- We all have certain needs that must be met in order to sustain life on the earth such as food, clothing, water, and shelter. It’s not hard for us to set a priority to have those things for without them we will surely die. However, God wants us to seek first the kingdom of God in our daily lives. Investing time in serving others, sharing the gospel, and living out our faith reflects a commitment to building upon the solid foundation of our character in Christ.
- By prioritizing activities that align with God’s will and further His kingdom, we ensure that our time is spent on endeavors with lasting significance. God promises that when we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things (food, clothing, water and shelter) will be added unto us.
- Our little pebbles are the smaller things to which we regularly give time but don’t contribute directly to the main priorities of our calling. If we put the big stones first into the jar of our schedule, we’ll be able to fill the cracks with a good many pebbles. But if we put the pebbles in first, the big stones likely will not fit.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTION
- Share specific activities or habits that you have incorporated into your daily routine so that you can hustle with your daily activities while keeping growing spiritually.
- How do you manage societal pressures and cultural influences from shaping your priorities and time management decisions? How do you navigate these influences to ensure your time aligns with God’s purposes?
REFERENCES