If you spend any time on Facebook, you may have noticed a recent trend that’s taking the web by storm. It seems like every week there is a new challenge, baiting people into doing crazy dances, lip syncing to pop songs, dumping buckets of ice-water on their heads, or other random acts of tomfoolery. While the tone of that last sentence might cause one to believe I am against such displays of ridiculousness, nothing could be further from the truth. I am more than happy to be entertained by the courageous men, women, and young people who put themselves at risk of embarrassment for the edification of a world that takes itself entirely too seriously.
As a general practice, I do not take an active part in most challenges. Every once in a while, however, a challenge catches my attention and I jump on the bandwagon. In this most recent challenge, members are encouraged to post two pictures to their profile, their first profile picture and their most recent profile picture. It is called the “How Did Aging Hit You” Challenge. The intent of the challenge is to show how much your appearance has changed in the years since you first joined Facebook. For me personally, this particular challenge could not have come at a more appropriate time.
For the past several weeks, I have been feeling somewhat nostalgic. I believe two realities have caused this period of reflection. First, January 8 marked two years since my family and I moved to Seymour to take on the role as the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church. I find myself hyper-sensitive to our potential, and burdened with the desire to turn that potential into production for the good of our community and the glory of God. Second, in March of this year I turn 39. I’m not saddened by this fact, but as I enter into the last year of my 30’s I find myself considering where the time has gone and what I’ve done with it.
I DON’T WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE; I WANT TO INVEST IT!
As I was driving around Seymour the other day, the man on the radio said something about coming to Nashville to spend a few hours. For whatever reason, that comment hit me hard. I began thinking about how I have “spent” my life. Then the thought occurred to me, I DON’T WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE; I WANT TO INVEST IT. I don’t want to waste the currency of my existence like a kid in a candy store, looking to satisfy my own desires. I want the years of my life to have purpose. I want the things I do to add value to the world in which I live. I want the impact of my limited time on earth to pay dividends long after that time has run out. I want to reach the world by living and preaching the truth of the gospel.
The Bible very clearly teaches that our time is a limited resource. The Psalmist asks God to “teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” The author of James warns that life is “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” He goes on to warn that failing to do the good we can, while we can is in fact sin. As I consider my own life, and even my two short years in Seymour, it is painfully clear that our tomorrows become yesterdays all too soon. If we are going to invest our time in profitable ways, it needs to happen today! Otherwise we run the risk of finding our time utterly spent with little to show for it.
I’m grateful for this most recent Facebook Challenge. The two profile pictures that came up for this challenge are reminders of two times when my time was being invested wisely. My first profile picture was from 2007. In this picture, I am playing guitar and singing songs about Jesus in front of a crowd in Syracuse, Indiana. My current picture is of my wife and I on a beach in the Dominican Republic. While investing time in my relationship with my wife would itself be a wise investment, what the picture doesn’t show is the twelve others who were there with us as we partnered with one of our missionaries to share the love of Jesus with our friends in the DR. While I don’t always invest my time wisely, I am grateful for reminders of opportunities that God has provided that continue to bring great returns.
Your life is a gift from God. Your life has potential and purpose.
Your life is a gift from God. Your life has potential and purpose. Don’t just spend your time pursuing things that bring joy for a moment and then pass away. Keep your eyes open for the opportunities to invest your time in people and things that will pay dividends for years to come. In the end, that’s the challenge that matters most.
As always, well-thought and well-spoken. You, the ministry God has entrusted you, and your words are such blessings. Keep sharing, please. Blessings to you and yours.