Making good use of time

By Engr. Carlos Cornejo

“One of the deceptions of an unproductive life is that today is not important.” (John Mason) One of the reasons why many people waste their time is the lack of goals in life.  If we don’t have specific goals or dreams of finishing college for example or working abroad or starting a business, etc. chances are we will just be letting the days go by with no sense of direction.  The only sense of direction it will have would be wherever the wind blows.  We would then be at the mercy of what comes up during the day.  If a friend calls up inviting us to a drinking session, of course we can’t say no because we have no plans for that day anyway.  If you open the TV and there seems to be an interesting show you can’t say no it because there’s nothing else to do.  You seem to have all the time in the world but it also has no sense of purpose.  No wonder your life is dull and boring.

Time is like seed money that God gives to us.  God tells us in scripture, “Trade until I come” (Luke 19:13) We are all spiritual businessmen.  God expects that we invest our time, along with the talents and capabilities that He has given us to make it prosper and gain both spiritual and earthly profits.  If we have talent in music, we ought to let it flourish.  If we have talent in math, we should let it prosper.  If we have talent in sports, we should let it bear fruit.  God expects us to use them and make them grow that’s why He gave them to us in the first place.  Let’s just make sure these gifts don’t contribute to our spiritual ruin through pure self-serving interests.  Our talents should serve society in one way or another, and using them as instruments in giving glory to God and bringing many people closer to Him.

I remember a classmate of mine in college who was working in Manila for a telecommunications company back in the late 1990’s.  His work was to come up with a cell site design. At that time his colleagues were busy playing computer games even during working hours while he would try to do some “experiments” as he would call them by coming up with different cell site equipment combinations at the least cost.  His customers were both PLDT and Globe. Needless to say, he became an expert on it and became a big income earner for the company.  His break came when the main office of their company based in the U.S. was in need of a cell site equipment estimator.   He got promoted and moved his entire family abroad.  He reaped the rewards of his efforts because he made good use of his time instead of wasting it on useless and mindless computer games that his colleagues got hooked up.   He reminds me of William Ward’s recipe for success: “Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” Our destiny is not a matter of chance; it’s a matter of choice.  And it starts with how we use our God given time.  “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of time, because the days are evil.  Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)