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Stewardship of Time
Matthew 20: 1-16
September 4, 2005
The Rev. Kong Namkung

One of the greatest areas of stewardship that is overlooked by most Christians is the stewardship of your time. Many of us try to be good stewards of our money and resources, but we forget some very important things. I think God will hold us accountable for many things that we take very lightly.

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!  Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance.  It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.

When I am jogging or post office, I ask people, “How are you doing?”  99 % of people respond, “Fine, or good.”  When I ask people, whom I have known for a while, “How are you doing?” and the answer, more commonly than not, is “Busy.” To be busy has become somewhat of a ‘badge of honor’ to wear. I’m not asking people how busy they are…I genuinely want to know ‘how’ they are doing. That doesn’t have a lot to do with how busy they are, really. This obsession with being ‘busy’ is, actually, one convenient way to keep from relationships. If someone says to you that they are busy, you’ll back away from trying to take any of their time; I’ll back away from you if that is the answer. What is being said is often, really, “I’m too busy to stop and form a relationship with you.”

We are too busy.  We need a 30-hour a day club.  People live by the clock, because time is important to all of us.  Benjamin Franklin said, “Do not squander time, for it is the stuff life is made of.”

Because of my work situation, I’ve been giving that a lot of thought. I don’t want to get into a “top this testimony” - but I’ve been busy, too. In the past three or four months, I’ve juggled the responsibilities of more than a half-dozen “roles” in my life. I’m a husband, father, son of my mother, who has been in a coma over 4 years and 6 months, and the pastor this church. I’m chair of the district superintendency and a chair of episcopacy circle in the conference level, and a design team member of Southeastern Jurisdiction ministers’ conference.  I’m a busy guy, too.

Some of us are retirees.  Young people think that they will have plenty of time when they become a retiree. But I will tell you.  You will be busier than ever when you become a retiree because you have to use restroom more often and you have to your doctor very often.

The real question is not how we are busy, but why we are very busy?   Priority is not a word found in any version of the Bible. However, the Bible has a lot to say about priorities. It means “prior, preceding in order or importance, preeminence, and preference.”  As related to Matt 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Sometimes we forget the most important thing - the priority that helps everything else fall into place.  Here’s a story to illustrate about priority.

A woman bought a parrot to keep her company but returned it the next day. "This bird doesn’t talk," she told the owner. "Does he have a mirror in his cage?" he asked. "Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start a conversation." The woman bought a mirror and left.  The next day she returned; the bird still wasn’t talking. "How about a ladder? Parrots love ladders. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot." The woman bought a ladder and left. But the next day, she was back. "Does your parrot have a swing? No? Well, that’s the problem. Once he starts swinging, he’ll talk up a storm." The woman reluctantly bought a swing and left. Then she walked into the store the next day, her countenance had changed. "The parrot died," she said. The pet store owner was shocked.  "I’m so sorry. Tell me, did he ever say a word?" he asked. "Yes, right before he died," the woman replied. "In a weak voice, he asked me, ’Don’t they sell any food at that pet store?’"

Sometimes people forget the main thing.  What are the main things in terms of Christians’ stewardship of time?

1.  Guard your time with God.

 Exodus 16:23, “He said to them, "This is what the Lord commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'”  The Israelites were not to work on the Sabbath—not even to cook food. Why? God knew that the busy routine of daily living could distract people from worshiping God. It is so easy to let work, family responsibilities, and recreation crowd our schedules so tightly that we don’t take time to worship. Carefully guard your time with God.

Joshua 3:9, “Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” Just before crossing over into the Promised Land, Joshua gathered the people to hear the words of the Lord. Their excitement was high. No doubt they wanted to rush on, but Joshua made them stop and listen. We live in a fast-paced age where everyone rushes just to keep up. It is easy to get caught up in our tasks, becoming too busy for what God says is most important—listening to his words. Before making your schedule, take time to focus on what God wants from all your activities. Knowing what God has said before you rush into your day may help you avoid foolish mistakes.

God is our priority. The first commandment: “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.”  (Matthew 22:37) It is not accident that it is the first among all the commandments. C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

2.  Taking time out from work.  

 Exodus 31:12-17, “Then the Lord said to Moses, [13] "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy. [14] " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. [15] For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. [16] The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. [17] It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'”

The Sabbath had two purposes: It was a time to rest and a time to remember what God had done. We need rest. Without time out from the bustle, life loses its meaning. In our day, as in Moses’ day, taking time out is not easy. But God reminds us that without Sabbaths we will forget the purpose for all of our activity and lose the balance crucial to a faithful life. Make sure your Sabbath provides a time of both refreshment and remembrance of God.

As I study Jesus’ life I am amazed that He never seemed to be in a hurry. Although He was doing the most important job in history (redeeming the world), and although He knew He only had a few years to do it, He never ran. He made time to consider the flowers and the birds of the air. He had time to put his hands on the little children and bless them. Time was His friend.   For example,  John 2:1-2  Jesus was on a mission to save the world, the greatest mission in the history of mankind. Yet he took time to attend a wedding and take part in its festivities. We may be tempted to think we should not take time out from our “important” work for social occasions. But maybe these social occasions are part of our mission. Jesus valued these wedding festivities because they involved people, and Jesus came to be with people. Our mission can often be accomplished in joyous times of celebration with others. Bring balance to your life by bringing Jesus into times of pleasure as well as times of work.

3.  Spend more of it thinking about eternity.

 Psalm 39:5-6, “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath.  Selah  [6] Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.”

Eccles. 2:18, “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.”

James 4:14, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

All these talk about the brevity of life. Jesus also spoke about it.  Luke 12:20, “But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”  It is ironic that people spend so much time securing their lives on earth and spend little or no thought about where they will spend eternity. David realized that amassing riches and busily accomplishing worldly tasks would make no difference in eternity. Few people understand that their only hope is in the Lord.

4.  Understanding God’s perspective of.

Psalm 75:2, “You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.”  God will act when he is ready. Children have difficulty grasping the concept of time. “It’s not time yet” is not a reason they easily understand because they only comprehend the present. As limited human beings, we can’t understand God’s perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God’s timing is better. When God is ready, he will do what needs to be done, not what we would like him to do. We may be as impatient as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God’s timing. Wait for God to reveal his plan. Don’t take matters into your own hands.  Martin Luther, the great reformer, said, “I have so much business I cannot get along without spending three hours daily in prayer.”

One thing that I have missed a lot is to pray early in the morning.  Korea Christians go to prayer meetings at 5.30 am every single day. on their way to work, then are at work for 7 a.m. for mandatory calisthenics and other exercises, at their places of work, before starting the day. I don’t know when those who are Christian end their days, but they start early, certainly.

5.  Many need time to think about the gospel.  

 John 4:15, “The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”  The woman did not immediately understand what Jesus was talking about. It takes time to accept something that changes the very foundations of your life. Jesus allowed the woman time to ask questions and put pieces together for herself. Sharing the gospel will not always have immediate results. When you ask people to let Jesus change their lives, give them time to weigh the matter. 

Oswald Chambers says: Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him. In John 5:39, 40: Jesus says “You diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Priorities are hard to set and hard to maintain. However, God has given us ours, so it’s easy, and we can know that we’re doing what we should be doing when we are keeping priorities. Seeking the fullness of the Kingdom and God’s righteousness in our lives gives us the overview or overlay for our lives. Under that, we need to be focusing on relationships- with God, spouse, family, then others. If we’ll keep this order of things in our lives, we’ll get done what is most important. Maybe we’ll have to let some other activities go. For instance, Christians will likely watch less television than non-Christians and maybe go to fewer movies or other entertainment venues, although some of those can be combined with developing relationships with family and others, so they don’t have to be out of our lives. I used to take my younger daughters with me everywhere- to the bank, the store, the car wash, visiting members- I combined a lot of activities- I’m not sure whether well or not but it seemed to work for us.

If your desire is, above all, to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness in your life, you’ll find creative ways to fulfill the relationship priorities you have. You’ll slow down, too, and you won’t be reveling in being busy. You’ll have an idea of how you really are, when someone asks. Sometimes, we answer ‘busy’ because we simply don’t know how we are. It’s something to think about, isn’t it? Focus, as God’s word urges, and enjoy your most important relationships more, and feel less frantic in living for the last of days of 2005.

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Matthew 20:1-16

20:1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
NIV

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