Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise. Ephesians 5:15
“Redeem your time. Give your time back to God this Christmas, every second of every day. Look to Him to lead you and expect to be surprised. Some things you planned may never get done, some may get delayed and still others may need to be passed off to someone else. It is likely God will have a very different idea of how He would have you use your time. And it will always be redemptive, meaningful and rich. Stewarding your self means giving this most intimate gift of time back to God that He may fill your days with His peace and joy.”
R. Scott Rodin and Lindsay Kittleson in Stewarding Christmas (Colbert: Kingdom Life Publishing, 2015) 33. It’s a wonderful little ebook with great ideas for stewarding Christmas. Click here to visit the KLP webpage to download it for free.
I will spend today over the Pacific Ocean. I hope to get some sleep, but also have various things to read and study to make the most of my time.
In the journey of life, however, I am learning to be open to interruptions, schedule changes, and other spontaneous additions to my calendar. When we view time not as our own but as belonging to God, we approach each day (or each flight) differently. We welcome rather than resent interruptions. We go with the flow instead of grumble when schedules change. We smile rather than complain when extra things are added to our to-do lists.
All this rings especially true at Christmas. During this “jingle all the way” season, in which everyone moves at a hustle and bustle pace, everything magnifies. If we are kind and generous, it makes a person’s day, because so many are self-absorbed and demanding. If we are unkind and stingy (like the Grinch), well, you know what happens. It’s not good.
Generosity is fruit of God’s work in us. If we want to exhibit generosity at Christmas, perhaps we must start by “stewarding” the season (and every other day of the year) as a gift from God, like Scott and Lindsey suggest, and see what “redemptive, meaningful and rich” ways God will fills our days with His peace and joy.