Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 127 - Leadership and Time; Eph 5:16

Title: Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 127 - Leadership and Time; EPH 5:16.

8. Time: The good leader manages his time affectively so that he may be the servant of all.

 

Often, the character of a leader, or a person in general, can be determined by how he spends his spare time. There is the time where he is forced to do something, as in school or work, but the times before and after are spent according to his choice.

 

EPH 5:16

making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

 

It is best to read this verse in its context. Think of these verses in reference to how you spend your time.

 

EPH 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

 

EPH 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

 

EPH 5:3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

 

EPH 5:4 and there must be no filthiness and silly [foolish or stupid] talk, or coarse jesting [witty vulgarity], which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

 

EPH 5:5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater [unbelievers], has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

 

EPH 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

 

EPH 5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;

 

EPH 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

 

EPH 5:9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

 

EPH 5:10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

 

EPH 5:11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

 

EPH 5:12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

 

EPH 5:13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

 

EPH 5:14 For this reason it says,

"Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you."

 

EPH 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise,

 

"Be constantly taking heed how accurately you are conducting yourselves…" [corrected translation]

 

EPH 5:16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

 

The days always contain elements of evil in their various places. So then we cannot live just to be alive, breathing, eating, sleeping, since doing nothing is to let the days themselves rule us, but they are evil, meaning that there is much in every one of them that opposes God. There must be something else in life than just the passing of time itself.

 

"making the most" - evxagora,zo[exagorazo; middle voice] = redeem, purchase, buy up for oneself. Metaphorically it means to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good.

 

Our wisdom from the word of God (vs. 15), which makes us constantly careful how accurately we are conducting ourselves is the capital by which we purchase the time. We are free from the flesh and the world and so they should not dictate how we spend our time.   

 

"time" is not chronos, which speaks of a duration of time, but kairos - a fixed or definite season or opportunity. The command is not to make the most of every second but every opportunity.

 

The Holy Spirit inspires Paul to put it this way so that we will not come to think that God is pleased with the busiest of us. That is not the command. The command is to make the use of every opportunity when it arises. This certainly nixes laziness, since to be so, one has to be alert and ready to do in a moment's notice. It does remove the idea of being busy for the sake of being busy.

 

No one is allowed to judge your use of your time, though they will. God has graciously given you this time and it is up to you how you use it. We can all use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but that does not justify the loss of freedom to another in slavery.

 

Paul stated that he worked harder than all the rest, but it was the grace of God with him. We are each called to do much, but it is for each of us to determine this within ourselves. God has wonderful ways of showing us.

 

We are not to waste time, obviously, and we are to take advantage of the opportunities as they present themselves.

 

EPH 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

 

EPH 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation [asotia - unsaving, nothing of value], but be filled with the Spirit,

 

EPH 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

 

EPH 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

 

EPH 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

 

The way we employ the surplus hours after provision has been made for work, meals, and sleep is a result of our character and can make the difference between mediocre and exceptional life. What opportunities present themselves in this time?

 

Included in that statement are the necessary times for play and for leisure. This point does not give honor to the workaholic, but it does disparage the one who does not make proper use of his time.

 

Leisure is a glorious opportunity and a subtle danger. Each moment of each day is a gift from God. Within every day, outside of work, meals, and sleep, there is to be Bible study, prayer, service of others, application of truth in all areas, etc. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it mightily.

 

Hours and days pass by fast and go faster with increased time and this will happen whether we make the most of our time or not.

 

The best use of one's life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. [William James]

 

Divine good is eternal.

 

Life's value is not determined by duration. People blame God when a loved one dies of cancer or of some other tragedy at an "early age" and accept such a death of a much older person. Our Lord died in His early thirties and had, hands down, the most valuable life by far. What matters is how fully and how well we live the time that we have. Death is a sovereign decision in the hands of the Lord, whether it is His permissive will, His direct will, or His overruling will.

 

PSA 90:12

So teach us to number our days,

That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.

 

If we need help with a task or we need the service of another, we most often do not go to the people with the most free time on their hands, since they have so much free time because they are sluggards. We usually go to the busiest people and often we find that they make time to help us and they do so well. Our problem is not too little time, but making better use of the time we have.