Time...

Time... something I have been thinking about today.  That is not to say that I haven't thought about it in the past, but it's been on my mind today. Specifically, the use of time in relation to Kingdom Living. This is not something that I have figured out, but it forces me to work it out when I try to articulate my thoughts. With that said, this will not be a well-crafted paper, rather a string of  unedited thoughts and questions... and hopefully some answers at the end.

The way people use their time is significant.  Christian or not, people's use of time says a lot about them.  I know easy lines can't be drawn, but is it true that our use of time portrays our priorities?

Those who play video games all the time find their games important. 
Those who love to shop find "things" to be important. (specifically those that love to buy)
Those who are workaholics find their work/job/money to be most important.

Those are generalizations, I know.   Does what we spend the most time on reflect what we find to be most important?  Does what we say is most important "outweigh" what our actions portray to be the most important to us, or the other way around?

To begin, let's take sleeping and eating out of the equation.  Those are a necessity to life.  Most people could probably use more sleep and less food, but that is another discussion.

It seems to me (from my experience), that most people rank God, family, friends, church, career in their top priorities.  Aside from career, most people do not spend the majority of their time focused on any of these said priorities.  I understand that our jobs often require more time than we have free...but let's talk about free time.

I don't feel like doing a lot of research or providing sources, but just a google search, a common number is that in 2010 Americans averaged 34 hours of TV a week (full-time job?).  What does that say about what they find important?  Well, that could say a lot of things, but most of them are inward focused - satisfying some need/desire within themselves...

But wait...people don't usually put their own happiness on their list of most important things...

To be honest, this has been bothering me because over the last couple days I have watched a lot of Netflix (I do this occasionally).  But then I feel like I wasted the day...what was accomplished?  I use the fact that I am taking care of a (almost) 1 year old as an excuse to have the tv on on all and not get much done...

So, if my time truly reflected what was most important to me I would spend the most time "with" God, then my family, then the church (which is also my job/career).  Practically speaking, keeping God as the first priority does not mean I have to be spending my time "for God" as a separate activity from my family or the church.  God desires a wholesome family, and being a good husband and dad pleases God.  Being faithful in my calling to ministry pleases God.

I am getting tired of all of this rambling...let's try to get to the point... so what am I trying to say? Let me try to make a list of quasi-conclusions:

1. If God really is most important - then spend time with God! Spend alone time with God.  It is so easy to neglect prayer and study in the busyness of the day - but it is essential!  Prayer and God's Word are the lifeblood of the believer!  I am not saying we need to spend every moment of "free" time that we have doing these things, but we need to make sure we ARE doing them.  and for me: I need to do them more!

2. Kingdom living means living as members of the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdoms of this world.  That means the things that are important to God are important to us (and the things of this world like "stuff," money, and worldly success are not).  Even with my time that is not spent "alone" with God, I can have God as my first priority.  I can do things that directly or indirectly "further" the Kingdom.  This might look like blogging (sharing my journeys), raising awareness and support for social causes, volunteering time, etc etc.

3.  Grow.  Feed your mind.  If you are going to spend hours in front of a screen, feed your brain something useful.  Learn something (I am thinking Kingdom-minded here).  Or read... learn something.  Become inspired. Another part of growing may be in a physical sense.  Do things that are healthy for your body :).  And if you can, while you do them, listen/watch something edifying rather than entertaining.

4. Consider the way you spend your time.  What does it say about you?  If you made a list of what was most important and a list of how you spend your time, how would they match up?  My point is: be intentional.