Time...

Does what we do with our time really matter? Are adults serious when they reflect on the time gone by and urge us to not waste our youth? How much does time really matter? Time is a gift from God that we should use responsibly: serving, leading, making an impact, and getting to know our Creator.

The world will try to tell us that what we do doesn't really matter that much. They say we have our whole life before us and we should just be happy, and have fun. They also tell us that since we are young we should wait to have an impact on society. Young people get stuck in a man-made time called "teenage-years" where there are little or no expectations of them. Although, we do have all the days God gives us before us, if we flitter the days away doing nothing of real value we are not being good stewards of God's blessings.

Life is for service. Service to our parents, siblings, friends, peers, authorities, and most importantly God. Exalting others, putting yourself lower than them and acting as their slave is one way to serve. We should choose to become less so they can be more. Honor, respect, initiative, and servant-hood could be synonymous to service. The Bible says that those who serve will be exalted in Heaven: "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." Matthew 19:30

My Mom has always told me and my siblings from the time we were very young that if she couldn't trust us with the small things, she couldn't trust us with the bigger things. This is true of service and leadership. If I can't be content with helping by taking out the trash, then I will never be truly content with leading or being in charge of big jobs. Seeing ourselves as key parts of a bigger plan and learning to do without the spotlight are huge lessons on the path of learning to lead.

God wants to spend time with us. We can learn so much by praying to our Heavenly Father. He wants us to cry out to Him in our distress, call to Him for wisdom, lean on Him when we need a friend, let Him lead us, read His Word, and seek to know Him with our whole hearts. "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 Knowing God is like any other relationship. It requires communication, trust, and love. James 4:8 says: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." We have a promise that God is willing and waiting for us to know Him, but we must seek Him out.

These are just a few ways we can use our time responsibly. Learning to serve, lead, make an impact, and know God are all my goals. May I challenge you to make them yours?