My long-time friend Jim Martin is pulpit minister for a congregation in Waco, and maintains a blog I highly recommend: A Place For The God-Hungry. His post from Tuesday (2/4/09) was a pretty insightful look at how we spend our time, and the things we should really be making time for. I repeat that post here, with his permission…

I have been on Facebook for about a year. What I absolutely love about Facebook is the opportunity to re-connect with friends from the past. In the past few months, I have had the opportunity to communicate with Frank, Gary, Debbie, John, Bob, Debbie, Rick, and today — Stan. I haven’t seen most of these people in decades. Yet, re-connecting with these people is a special gift because we share a common history and a common memory. We were a part of a small Christian school in Dallas.

I have been thinking this week about how short life really is. When I was in junior high school, some days would seem like weeks. In some ways, time passes so slowly when you are young. Now? Now time moves quickly. Oh, I don’t feel old or even refer to myself as being old. Yet, I remember passing a mirror not long ago almost startled by the man staring at me. Yes, it was me inside this man’s body. But inside? “I’m still the boy.”

Today, I realize just how valuable time really is.

1. I don’t have time to waste on things that don’t matter. I have plenty of time for the things that count.
2. I don’t have time to get moody, self-centered, and irritable. I do have time to love my wife and children.
3. I don’t have time to wallow in the past over what might have been. I do have time to focus on what God wants to do in my life today.
4. I don’t have time to play self-importance games (Whom do you know? What kind of house do you live in? What have your kids accomplished? What are you driving?). I do have time to build up others and forget myself.
5. I don’t have time to coddle worldly, immature Christians whose idea of church is getting their way. I have plenty of time to love fellow Christians who may have various opinions.
6. I don’t have time to be a peacemonger (doing whatever it takes to keep others from getting upset). I do have time to be a peacemaker (loving people no matter what).
7. I don’t have time to play it safe and never risk the possibility of discomfort. I do have time to trust God who has promised to never leave me or forsake me.
8. I don’t have time to whine and blame others for being obstacles. I do have time to take responsibility for my own actions and behavior.
9. I don’t have time to complain and focus on the negative. I do have time to speak a word of hope to people who are overwhelmed by heartache.
10. I don’t have time to settle for the mediocre. I do have time to be passionate about what matters most to God.

Jim Martin