Have you ever heard the idea that space is a fabric? All the events that we see are actually hung in this fabric. They are static and we are the ones in motion. In motion, in that we are moving through time. We move past these events and observe them as being events but in reality, they are there constantly and as we move past them in time, they have the appearance of “happening”. This is radical over-simplification of part of a theory by a brilliant physicist named Richard Feynmann called Sum over Histories.
Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity states that light, rather than time is the constant in the universe. The closer an object comes to traveling at light speed, the slower time becomes and at light speed, time stops.
I think that the eternal perspective is to see all of time at once. Every outcome readily visible. Scripture states that God declares the end from the beginning (Is 46:10). Scripture also says in Heb_4:3, For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Unfortunately for us, while we are on earth, we are stuck in time. Being stuck in time, time is measuring our life. You may have heard the story about the the dates on the headstone. The first date represents the persons’ birth & the second, their death. The hyphen between the numbers is what is really important. That hyphen represents their life. It represents how they spent their small but extremely precious time on earth.
Opportunity cost is truly illustrated in the spending of time. Once it’s spent, there is no getting it back. Your time is a truly non-renewable resource. What do you spend yours on? What opportunity did you give up, so that you could do what you’re doing now?
When we are looking at someone’s time, we’re really looking at someone’s life. Their life is passing with each second. When we interact, we are spending our life on each other. When others are spending time on us, we should make sure that what we are asking them to spend their time on is valuable and not frivolous. Make sure it’s worth the price being paid for it.
I think it’s a tragedy to see even a small piece of someone’s life being wasted because someone else didn’t have the sense to respect their time, and there-by, wasted a precious piece of their life.
As a Christian with a heart to help others, my heart burns within me sometimes because I have so much I want to do. I read Paul, the Apostle’s command to the Ephesian church:
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil Eph 5:15 & 16.
And to the Colossian church:
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time Col 4:5.
This is the heart of the Lord. My mandate is to redeem the time. Buy it back. Be intentional about how I spend it & leverage it to wring the most out of it for the Kingdom. There’s a great work to be done. He’s given each of us a place and a job to do. Time is shorter than we think.
Take some time this week to examine yourself. How are you spending your time? Because you are spending your life.
