"...redeeming the time, because the days are evil" Ephesians 5:16
I recently read an article entitled "15 Scientifically Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Just More", which contains advice on how to be more productive at work. Much of the advice is counter-intuitive, with suggestions such as "watch YouTube", or "take a nap"(!) (actually, the "siesta" (nap after lunch) is common in Mediterranean and southern European countries, and if you're like me you may find this time of day very tempting to do such a thing). The overarching idea is that people are "fresher" from little intermittent breaks, and are more productive than people who plug away straight through the day. I have to say I tend to agree with this approach (although a two hour nap may not be so productive!).
I recently read an article entitled "15 Scientifically Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Just More", which contains advice on how to be more productive at work. Much of the advice is counter-intuitive, with suggestions such as "watch YouTube", or "take a nap"(!) (actually, the "siesta" (nap after lunch) is common in Mediterranean and southern European countries, and if you're like me you may find this time of day very tempting to do such a thing). The overarching idea is that people are "fresher" from little intermittent breaks, and are more productive than people who plug away straight through the day. I have to say I tend to agree with this approach (although a two hour nap may not be so productive!).
As Christians we also need to "work smarter, not just more". What do I mean by this?
The broken world around us presents us with a crush of human need. You name it: poverty, homelessness, mental illness, depression, substance abuse, physical illness, spiritual need, the list goes on. As Christians we should be concerned with all of these, but at times it's all so overwhelming we end up doing nothing and protecting our poor, pitiful selves. This is where we need to "work smarter, not harder". The bible calls it "redeeming the time". But what did Paul mean by this?
The word redeem means to rescue from loss. Some bible translations translate this "make the most of the time." Therefore we need to "work smarter, not harder". Easier said than done, right?
I believe the key to working "smarter, not harder" lies in the very next verse in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is". (Ephesians 5:17)
The will of God. For many it's an elusive concept, yet it is the key and guide to all our Christian work. Nothing should be undertaken that is not birthed by a burden placed in the believer's spirit by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise absolutely no action should be taken. This will no doubt confuse some and make some angry that nothing is being done, but this is (or should be) the great difference between worldly and Christian charity. Christian charity should be carried out in the will of God in such a way that, not only does the need get met unusually effectively, but that God alone gets the glory and people actually witness God in action.
So the essential question becomes, how does one find the will of God? There is no formula (thank God), but what I believe to be three essentials:
1) Regular reading and meditating of God's holy word, the bible. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews puts it this way: "Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But solid food belongs to those who are mature, for those who through practice have powers of discernment that are trained to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:13-14)
In other words, the baby Christian (or "carnal" Christian, see 1 Corinthians 3:1-2) basically doesn't know right from wrong, much less the will of God, because he or she is unfamiliar with God's word. We need the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), or God's word, not only to cut through unseen powers of darkness, but to light the way for God's will to be discovered.
2) Prayer! Simple, right? During our quiet moments before God, he speaks his "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:12), revealing his will. It is imperative, however, that we learn to discern God's voice (dropped sweetly in our spirit by intuition) from the thoughts (sometimes seemingly good) flashing across our mind. The former is from God (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-11), the latter is often from the enemy of our souls, trying to distract us, or even counterfeit the voice of the Almighty (2 Corinthians 11:14). All the more reason to know God's word to help discern which is which.
3) Finally, we should be free of unconfessed sin, because sin will cloud our prayer life (see Psalm 66:18).
Therefore brothers and sisters, let us work smarter, not harder: redeeming the time and understanding what God's will is, so that we can meet this broken worlds pressing needs and glorify God in the process.
The broken world around us presents us with a crush of human need. You name it: poverty, homelessness, mental illness, depression, substance abuse, physical illness, spiritual need, the list goes on. As Christians we should be concerned with all of these, but at times it's all so overwhelming we end up doing nothing and protecting our poor, pitiful selves. This is where we need to "work smarter, not harder". The bible calls it "redeeming the time". But what did Paul mean by this?
The word redeem means to rescue from loss. Some bible translations translate this "make the most of the time." Therefore we need to "work smarter, not harder". Easier said than done, right?
I believe the key to working "smarter, not harder" lies in the very next verse in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is". (Ephesians 5:17)
The will of God. For many it's an elusive concept, yet it is the key and guide to all our Christian work. Nothing should be undertaken that is not birthed by a burden placed in the believer's spirit by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise absolutely no action should be taken. This will no doubt confuse some and make some angry that nothing is being done, but this is (or should be) the great difference between worldly and Christian charity. Christian charity should be carried out in the will of God in such a way that, not only does the need get met unusually effectively, but that God alone gets the glory and people actually witness God in action.
So the essential question becomes, how does one find the will of God? There is no formula (thank God), but what I believe to be three essentials:
1) Regular reading and meditating of God's holy word, the bible. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews puts it this way: "Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But solid food belongs to those who are mature, for those who through practice have powers of discernment that are trained to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:13-14)
In other words, the baby Christian (or "carnal" Christian, see 1 Corinthians 3:1-2) basically doesn't know right from wrong, much less the will of God, because he or she is unfamiliar with God's word. We need the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), or God's word, not only to cut through unseen powers of darkness, but to light the way for God's will to be discovered.
2) Prayer! Simple, right? During our quiet moments before God, he speaks his "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:12), revealing his will. It is imperative, however, that we learn to discern God's voice (dropped sweetly in our spirit by intuition) from the thoughts (sometimes seemingly good) flashing across our mind. The former is from God (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-11), the latter is often from the enemy of our souls, trying to distract us, or even counterfeit the voice of the Almighty (2 Corinthians 11:14). All the more reason to know God's word to help discern which is which.
3) Finally, we should be free of unconfessed sin, because sin will cloud our prayer life (see Psalm 66:18).
Therefore brothers and sisters, let us work smarter, not harder: redeeming the time and understanding what God's will is, so that we can meet this broken worlds pressing needs and glorify God in the process.
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