“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” — Ephesians 5:15–16 (NKJV)
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” — Ephesians 5:15–16 (NKJV)
In my previous article on Redeeming the Time, I shared some of what the Lord has been teaching me about stewarding this season of my life. Since retiring from my position as Dean of the School of Music at Trevecca Nazarene University, I have found myself thinking more seriously about a question that really applies to every season of life: What am I doing with the time God has entrusted to me?
Most of us spend a great deal of energy trying to manage time. We organize our calendars. We make lists. We set reminders. We look for ways to save time, find time, and occasionally wonder where all the time went! But Paul gives us a different way to think about it. He tells us to redeem the time.
The idea is to buy up the opportunity. Recognize the moments God places before us and use them for His glory. But that raises another question: How do I know what really deserves my time and attention?
Years ago, my good friend Dr. Ron Hawkins and I (along with our wives) traveled with a group of students to China. One morning, Ron shared a brief devotional with our group. I don't remember everything he said that day, but I have never forgotten his title: “Pay attention to what you need to pay attention to.”
I've thought about that statement many times through the years. Perhaps Ron was on to something.
We live in a world constantly competing for our attention. There is always another voice to hear, another responsibility to fulfill, another problem to solve, another opportunity to pursue. And if we are not careful, we can give enormous amounts of attention to things that ultimately matter very little while overlooking the things that matter most.
Maybe that is part of what Paul is telling us when he writes, “See then that you walk circumspectly:” Pay attention; Pay attention to where you are walking; Pay attention to what is shaping your heart; Pay attention to the people God has placed around you; Pay attention to the opportunities He puts in your path; and, perhaps most importantly, Pay attention to what God is doing and saying in your life.
- Walk Carefully
That word circumspectly is not one we use very often today. It means to walk carefully, accurately, thoughtfully. I picture someone making his way along a difficult path, watching where he places each foot because he knows the journey matters. That is a wonderful picture of the Christian life.
We are not called to live on spiritual autopilot. We are called to pay attention. Walking carefully doesn't mean living anxiously, afraid that we might make a wrong move. It means living deliberately, with our hearts attentive to God. It means paying attention to our choices, our relationships, our conversations, and the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit. It means noticing the people God places around us and recognizing opportunities we might otherwise miss.
Sometimes the question is not, “Am I doing anything wrong?” The better question may be:
“Am I living intentionally for Christ?”
- Weigh Wisely
Paul continues, “not as fools but as wise.” In Scripture, foolishness is not primarily about intelligence. The fool lives without regard for God. Wisdom, on the other hand, learns to see life from God's perspective. The fool asks, “What do I want?” The wise believer asks, “What does God want?”
That sounds simple until we try to live it. Not every good opportunity is God's opportunity for me. Not every invitation requires a yes. Not everything I can do is something I should do.
And not everything demanding my attention deserves it. That is why we must learn to weigh wisely.
The challenge is not simply finding more time. It is learning to recognize what deserves the time God has already given us. Every opportunity is not an assignment from God. Every need is not necessarily ours to meet. Every open door is not necessarily ours to walk through. And every voice competing for our attention does not deserve to be heard.
Perhaps this is where Ron's simple reminder becomes especially important: Pay attention to what you need to pay attention to.
For the follower of Christ, that means listening to God through His Word, responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit, noticing the people He places in our path, and weighing our choices in light of eternity. Before another commitment is added, another decision is made, or another opportunity is pursued, perhaps we should pause long enough to ask:
- Does this honor Christ?
- Does this strengthen what God has called me to do?
- Does this help me love and serve the people God has entrusted to me?
- Does this have eternal value?
And perhaps the most important question: “Lord, what would most glorify You in this moment?”
I don't always get that right. None of us does. But I want to keep learning to ask the question.
- Work Purposefully
Walking carefully and weighing wisely should eventually lead somewhere. Once we begin to recognize what matters, we must act on it. Acts 5 gives us a remarkable example. The apostles had been threatened, beaten, and commanded to stop speaking about Jesus. From a purely human perspective, this would have been a good time to slow down, protect themselves, and perhaps become a little less visible. But they had already determined what mattered most.
Acts 5:42 tells us: “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” Their circumstances did not determine their priorities. Their calling did.
They knew what deserved their attention, and they gave themselves to it. That challenges me. Especially in this new season of my own life, I don't want simply to fill whatever days God chooses to give me. I want to redeem them. I want to invest more intentionally in people. I want to teach what God has graciously allowed me to learn. I want to encourage younger leaders. I want to write. I want to serve the Church. I want to tell others about Jesus. And increasingly, I want the people closest to me to know that they mattered more to me than anything I ever accomplished.
Maybe that is one of the gifts of growing older. Some things that once seemed terribly important don't seem nearly as important anymore. And some things we may once have taken for granted become incredibly precious:
- People.
- Family.
- Friends.
- Faithfulness.
- The Gospel.
- The Church.
- The opportunity to invest in another generation.
The privilege of waking up one more morning and saying, “Lord, this day belongs to You. What can I do today that will bring YOU Glory?”
We may retire from a position. But we never retire from God's purposes. And that is not a burden. It is a privilege.
So wherever you are in your journey with Christ, don't wait for another season to begin living purposefully.
- Don't wait until the children are grown.
- Don't wait until the career settles down.
- Don't wait until you have more money.
- Don't wait until life becomes easier.
- Don't wait until retirement.
Begin where you are. Walk carefully. Weigh wisely. Work purposefully. Pay attention to what you need to pay attention to. And at the end of the day, perhaps the most important question is not, “How much did I accomplish?” Perhaps it is simply: “Lord, was I faithful with what You entrusted to me today?”
And tomorrow morning, if He graciously gives us another day, we can begin again: “Lord, guide my steps. Give me wisdom to recognize what matters most. Help me see the opportunities You place before me, and give me the courage and grace to use this day for Your glory.”
Because every day is a gift. Every opportunity is a stewardship. Every act of obedience matters. And every day matters because eternity matters.
