Time

What is time? You are certainly very familiar with it. We are bound by it, we live in it, and use it ubiquitously. But have you ever tried to define it?  Try it right now. In your own words, define “time”.

Did you find it harder to define than it would seem?  I sure did.  

Time may be defined by a sequence of events occurring in the past, present and future. Often referred to as the fourth dimension, Einstein believed it necessary for accurately describing position.  For example, I live in Oceanside, CA in the year 2023. Any reference to space and time together is an event.

Time must therefore always be described in terms of events in relative succession to each other. For example, the year 2023 A.D. is an event relative to Anno Domini, “The Year of our Lord.” 

God created time, defining the beginning by His act of creation.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  

Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

He also set into motion some regularly occurring cosmic events by which to measure time.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

Genesis 1:14–16 (ESV)

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

Genesis 1:31–2:2 (ESV)

The “greater light” is the sun. The “lesser light” is the moon.  Thus this is the definition of signs, seasons, days and years, as well as weeks and months implicitly.

• A day is one rotation of the earth relative to the sun.
• A week is the number of days in which God created plus one day of rest
• A month is one orbit of the moon around earth.
• A year is one orbit of earth around the sun.

Thus the modern measurements of time are directly based off of God’s definition of time in Genesis Chapter 1 and 2.

And so, since the beginning of time, time marches on, measured by those events we know so well. Its effect on your physical life is evident, referred to as the “biological clock”, marking the passing years. 

In what ways are you a steward of time? You have the same 24 hours a day as any other person.

Time As Capital

Time is a precious resource which must be well managed. Consider the nature of our common language capturing this concept. You can 

• Buy time
• Spend time
• Save time
• Lose time
• Invest time
• Waste time
• Lend time
• Borrow time
• Make time
• Kill time

While these terms firmly establish time as a form of capital to be skillfully managed, it is Scripture that lays this foundation.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:15–17 (ESV)

We know the value of any form of capital is based directly on scarcity and utility.  Time is very valuable because it is very scarce and useful.

Your time is limited to 24 hours in a day, 365 days in a year and a relatively few years in a lifespan. It is also necessary for anything and everything you will do in life. This makes it scarce and useful, and therefore very valuable.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

By numbering our days we realize the transient nature of our existence on this earth.

yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

James 4:14 (ESV)

We therefore should seek to know the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Colossians 4:5 (ESV)

The word in the Greek translated “making the best use of” literally means “to buy up, i.e. Ransom or redeem; figuratively, to rescue from loss.” 

The phrase “Making the best use of” seen here and in Ephesians 5:16 is the same terminology used in Daniel 2:8.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Colossians 4:5 (ESV)

You may exchange your other forms of capital to free up your time to make the best use of it. This takes great wisdom. 

Time Exchange

How can you decide the best use of your time?

Let’s look at an example.

Let’s say you have a leak under the sink. You could pay a professional plumber $200 to fix your leaking pipe, or you could attempt to fix it yourself.

In the first case you exchange money for time.

On the other hand, you can Do It Yourself, which will require several other forms of capital such as Time (to buy parts and fix it), Living (to work with your hands), Intellectual (to know how to fix it), some Financial (for the parts), and perhaps Relational (enlisting a friend’s help). 

While you may save money with DIY, it will be at the expense of all those other forms of Capital. If the parts were $40, driving to the store was $10, it took 5 hours to complete the job, and saved you $150 avoiding calling a plumber, that’s $30/hr + the hassle.

Can you find something worth more than $30/hr to fill that time?  Perhaps it would be better to “buy” time with your family? By calling a plumber, you also provide value to the plumber by supporting the livelihood of an expert in the field.

Hopefully this example helps you think through ways to determine the best use of your time.

Time Is More Than Money

Growing any other form of capital requires time. This includes, but is not limited to, financial capital.

You’ve heard the saying “Time Is Money.” That is true, for as we’ve seen it can be exchanged for Money.  But it would be better to say “Time is more than Money” because it can be exchanged for any other form of capital.

You need time to:

1. Grow spiritually
2. Grow physically
3. Grow intellectually
4. Grow experientially
5. Grow relationally
6. Grow culturally
7. Grow materially
8. Grow financially

Time is needed for everything and there is a time for everything.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

      a time to be born, and a time to die; 

      a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 

      a time to kill, and a time to heal; 

      a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

      a time to weep, and a time to laugh; 

      a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

      a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 

      a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

      a time to seek, and a time to lose; 

      a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 

      a time to tear, and a time to sew; 

      a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

      a time to love, and a time to hate; 

      a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (ESV)

Though we are bound by time, and our time is limited, it is comforting and important to know:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)

God is not bound by time, for He created it when He made all things.

For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

Psalm 90:4 (ESV)

Nor does God ever change.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17 (ESV)

Time Value

What is your time worth? How do you allocate it? You can see your priorities by how you spend your time. Just as you need to control your finances, even more, you need to control your time.

Perhaps you say you don’t care about money. But how many hours a day do you spend working for money? If you aren’t satisfied with where you’re at, make a change. Instead of trading time for dollars, learn a new skill.  For example:

You spend all this time learning how work works, zero time learning about how money works, yet money is the only reason that you even go to work.

Keith Weinhold

So learn to provide more value. But don’t become obsessed with anything other than what glorifies God.  Don’t neglect being thankful for what God has given you. Try to balance your time properly in each area of the other areas of life.

What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

Ecclesiastes 3:9–13 (ESV)

Summary

Time is measured by a sequence of events. God created time, but is himself outside of time, because he never changes. Time is a form of capital required to do anything with any other form of capital. You can do many various things with time, but God want’s you to make the best use of it. One way you can do that is by considering your time-value. There is a time for everything.

Reflect