Should Christians care about time management? And why? It's easy to think of it as a passing fad; a buzzword in the corporate world and topic of endless self-help books for everyone who wants to be trendy (or whatever the new equivalent of the term is). But let's put all that aside and ask, what is time management, really? And how should we approach it?
In a way, time management is like budgeting, but with time instead of money; it frees us to spend our time where we choose (or where God calls!) rather than just wondering where it went afterwards. Ever felt like something was really important to you, but you just didn't have time to do it? Maybe you have a Bible Study tucked away that you've always wanted to do, but it just never seems to happen. Maybe there's something you've felt God gently calling you to do, but you aren't sure when exactly you could manage it, because the everyday tasks of life seem to keep you busy all the time. Learning better time management techniques can be the solution to these problems. Time management is "the practice of using the time that you have available in a useful and effective way," according to the Cambridge Dictionary.
"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" ~Matthew 6:27
None of us can add extra time to our lives. Time is a finite resource, and once we've spent it there's no going back to make changes. Every moment of life is a gift from God. Do we treat it with appropriate appreciation? I remember receiving gift vouchers on my birthdays sometimes as small child. I prized those sheets of paper highly! I was careful to keep them out of pockets, where the washing machine might eat them. I didn't leave them lying around, where they might get muddled with other papers and be thrown away. I thought long and hard about how I would spend them. I wanted the very best deal I could get on the very best item available.
Time is a far greater gift than any Kmart voucher. Do we give it even a fraction of the consideration I gave my paper vouchers before spending it? Do we protect it from things that would "eat" it like a washing machine does paper? Do we get muddled about what we are supposed to be using it for? Do we consider the best things to spend it on? And the best ways to spend it on those things?
"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
God calls us to make "the best use of the time" and He says that is something wise people do. Time management skills allow us to categorise the various demands on our time and then prioritise them. We learn to identify the little things that eat away at our time, like snails eat paper gift vouchers. Then we can get rid of those hungry little things and protect our time for more important pursuits. For the best things.
Look back up at those verses from Ephesians. Notice that it doesn't say just to avoid bad things, or wasted time. "Making the best use of the time." Cutting all the trash from our schedules is a great start, but there's more to it than that! Maybe your life is filled with all good things. "The best use." Now it's time to look at those good things and work out how to make better use . . . and then best. Effective time management can help those good things take less time, so even better things can fit alongside them in your schedule.
"Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." ~1 Corinthians 10:31b
Everything we do should be done for God's glory, and that includes the way we spend our time. Moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year we choose how our lives will be spent. Are you choices adding up to a result you are happy with? That glorifies God?
So yes, Christians should care about time management because time is a gift we should be thankful for and handle accordingly. We should care about time management so we can make the best use of time, as we are called to. We should care about time management because using our time in a way that honours God is important to us.
