Hanging on a wall in my office is a replica of the world’s first concept of a calendar. It was developed by the Egyptians and shows the intersections of the annual seasons, the 12 months, and even the different weeks within those months. It’s quite fascinating!
It’s also quite convicting.
Every time I glance at that reproduction of an ancient timepiece, I’m reminded, sometimes even reprimanded, to invest in eternity, not simply consume in the moment. How easy it is to spend time, even waste it.
We are called to something higher and greater when it comes to time—to “make the best use of it” (Ephesians 5:16). One translation refers to it as “redeeming the time,” and another as “making the most of your time.” In each rendering, the overwhelming sense of the text is that time is an asset, not a liability. It can produce a return if used wisely.
This is precisely why, in the same set of verses, Paul exhorts believers to “walk as wise” people who “understand what the will of the Lord is” (5:15, 17). The best investment of our time occurs when we pour it into God’s purposes, the things that are on his agenda and heart. Truly, when our calendars and clocks are aligned with God’s character and callings, we’re not just spending time; we’re buying back time and putting it to its greatest possible use.
As you travel through the rest of this day, think beyond a mere chronological sequence of numbers. Know that what lies before you is a biblical opportunity to gain the greatest eternal return through the wise investment of temporal blocks of time. When we leverage all of our moments, hours, days and weeks to that end, we will be doing more than managing our time. We will be making the most of it.
