What time is it? At the time of me writing this sentence, it is 2:50 PM. But whether it is 2 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon, we can all agree that time is an essential aspect of our daily living. Time determines when we get up, when we rush the kids to school, when we eat our meals, when we go to work, and when we lay our head down to sleep. Time also determines how much we do a certain activity, where we are to be, and when we need to get things done. Time is constant, unchanging, and flows the same regardless of location.

But the most fascinating thing about time is how much it affects people. Time causes people to either procrastinate or panic. Time can create a false sense of security and thus cause people to put things off, or it can put them into panic mode. In this society, time is seen as a goal rather than a means. If a meeting is scheduled to be at 2:00, it is expected that you arrive at the meeting by 2:00, no sooner or later. Likewise, if you promise to meet someone for coffee at 3:00, then the expectation is that you are going to meet them by 3:00 -- on your word. Now, for anyone who enjoys procrastination, 2:00 and 3:00 are not going to happen (easily, that is). Perhaps 2:30 and 3:30, but not 2:00 and 3:00. Anyone who is panics over times and dates, by contrast, will do anything (including run red lights!) to get to their destination on time. Oh, and by the way, you have to pick up the kids from school at 3:30. And football practice starts at 4:00. The extremes of procrastinating or panicking are obviously unhealthy extremes, yet so many times, they are compelling for us to run to.

Healthy time-management is one of the biggest issues in the West. From school to work to even home life, managing and budgeting time effectively is a common challenge many Westerners face. And while time management has partially to do with how many responsibilities are taken on, a good majority of problems associated with time-management are internal. In fact, a recent article on Indeed lists at least twelve problems associated with time-management. As the article mentions, low motivation, procrastination, and the limited availability of time are the top three challenges of time management. This article also provides solutions to each of these problems. But what the Indeed article does not explain is why time-management is important outside of a work context. How do we efficiently manage time when it comes to our family or our personal health? How do we effectively manage our time?

Well, first, the Bible makes it clear that it is not our time, but rather God's time given to us. Paul says in Acts, "[God] isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25, WEB). God gives all of us breath and every second ultimately belongs to Him. God gives us time so we can use it for His glory. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians: "Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31, WEB). So, all the time we have is God's time, and all we do is for His glory.

Now, how do we manage the time given to us for God's glory? This is where good stewardship comes in. In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus says:

"For [the Kingdom of God] is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey. Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two. But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them. He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.'

"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.'

"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter. I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'

"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away. Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

In Jesus' story, the three servants are given three different amounts of money by a master who goes on a long trip. The expectation from the master is for these three men to multiply the amount of money given to them. Now, these three servants were given talents, a measure of money back in the first century. One talent was worth $400,000 by today's standards. So, the master gave $2,000,000, $800,000, and $400,000 to his three servants ($3,200,000 in total!) and expected them to multiply it. As can be seen here, two of the three servants did just that. The first made $4,000,000 and the second made $1,600,000. When the master finds this out, he says to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (vv. 21, 23). But the last servant hid his $400,000, to which the master says...

"You wicked and slothful servant!" (v. 26)

Again, in Jesus' parable, the master did not just hand out mere pennies. The master handed out (in our day) millions of dollars with the expectation that his servants would multiply that cash. But more importantly, the master entrusted his servants with the money, meaning that he gave it to them in trust. So, if any one of his servants were to abuse that money and keep it for themselves, then this would go contrary to master's expectations and break his trust in them. This parable exemplifies the importance of good stewardship, especially in God's Kingdom.

Now, what does good stewardship have to do with time? Everything, in fact. God has given to us the gift of time, not so we can bury it away, but so we can use it for His glory. When all is said and done, when we stand before the judgement seat of God Himself, one question that may be asked of us is this: "What did you do with the time that I gave you?"

If we spent most of our life dedicated and faithful to God, then He will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." But, if we spent on worthless pursuits, then the most likely response from God is going to be the response He gave to the third servant -- a harsh rebuke.

The good news is that, at this very moment, we have the ability to choose good choices. We have the ability to choose spending time with God and family. We have the ability to choose God above any other matter in life. And, we have the ability to organize our priorities so that it lines up with Christ. It may not be easy and will oftentimes lead to hardships, but when we put God first, it ends up being worth eternity in Heaven with Him.

So, what time is it? Is it time to change priorities?