Buying Time

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV

Where does the time go? Wouldn’t it be nice to have more time? I feel like I could accomplish so much more if I had more than twenty-four hours each day or if I didn’t need sleep.

Would you believe me if I told you it was possible to buy time?

William Penn wrote, “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” Does anyone besides me have trouble with time management? It turns out that we don’t need more time but, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:16, to make the best use of it.

I watched a video of a teen who replaced his smart phone with a flip phone. Do you know any teens that would do that? Would I? The teen said his days were longer and fuller after the switch. He was also less anxious. By making the best use of his time, this young man bought back his time from being used carelessly.

To understand this more fully, let us look at the Greek word exagorazo, translated “making the best use of” in the above verse. Exagorazo means “to buy up for one’s self or for one’s use.” Kairos is translated “time.”  According to the Bible, we can buy time!

Buying our time back may look differently for each person. Perhaps we can buy time from social media, watching TV or videos, hobbies, excessive work, or shopping.

The EASY translation of Ephesians 5:16 highlights what we can do with our bought back time. Many bad things are happening in these days. So, whenever you have a chance to do something good, do as much as you can.

What is draining your time away? Where are opportunities to do good?

Father God, you have given us time to use for your glory. Show us where to buy back time in our days and how to use this time for doing good.

Terri