Christian Living

Reflecting On Time and Productivity

by Brother Carlton 
05/29/24
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Brothers and sisters, have you ever looked back on your life and thought, Wow, I wasted a lot of time? I know I have.

I spent way too many hours watching TV, filling my mind with things that did absolutely nothing for my soul. When I was a kid, I watched Superman and Lost in Space, reruns from the '50s and '60s. They entertained me, sure, but did they make me wiser? Did they bring me closer to God? No.

And the truth is, many of our parents allowed it because they weren’t walking with the Lord themselves. They didn’t know any better. But now that we do, shouldn’t we be more careful with our time?

The Bible warns us in Ephesians 5:16, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Time is the one thing we can never get back. We can earn more money, we can rebuild relationships, but once a moment is gone, it’s gone forever. That’s why Paul urges us to make the most of it—because we live in an age filled with distractions and temptations.

Look at Paul’s life. He spent his days traveling, preaching the gospel, ministering to the saints, and strengthening the brethren. Shouldn’t we be doing the same? Shouldn’t we be using our time to make an impact for Christ instead of letting it slip through our fingers?

How Are We Spending Our Time?

There are so many ways we could be serving. Have you ever thought about visiting people in hospitals or nursing homes? There are countless lonely souls in those places who never get a visitor, never receive encouragement, never hear the gospel.

I remember a woman named Judith Mensing from my teenage years. She used to sell encyclopedias door to door—that’s actually how we got our World Book Encyclopedia. But more importantly, she and her son, Dale, would visit convalescent homes to sing hymns and minister to the residents. When I found out they were Christians, I joined them.

She’s probably passed away by now, but her legacy of service still inspires me.

There are so many opportunities to serve if we just look around. Children’s shelters, homeless ministries, prison outreach—people are hurting everywhere. Just last night, I ran into a church group. Now, I’ll be honest—I wasn’t a fan of the style of music they were playing. A lot of them were tattooed and dressed rough. They were part of a motorcycle ministry.

Now, do I know for sure they were all truly saved? No. I suspect some of them were caught up in the easy-believism gospel that’s so prevalent today. But you know what? They were out there feeding the homeless, giving them clothing, and ministering to them. That’s more than a lot of churches are doing.

Maybe I’ll join them sometime—preach to the homeless, share the truth of God’s Word. Because that’s what we can be doing—redeeming the time and using it for the Lord’s work.

The Power of Rising Early

Now, here’s another thing to think about: what if we woke up earlier?

The Puritans understood the value of time. They’d get up at 4 or 5 AM and stay up until 10 or 11 at night, working diligently for the Lord.

I read about one man who only slept five hours a night—he went to bed at 11 PM and was up at 4 AM. And you know what? It turns out that in the 1700s and 1800s, many people averaged only six hours of sleep. Meanwhile, modern society tells us we need eight hours. That means we’re sleeping away a third of our lives!

But what if we only slept six hours? That would give us an extra two hours every day. That’s 14 extra hours a week!

What could we do with that time? Read more scripture. Write in a journal. Learn a skill. Start a side business. Spend time with family. Pray. Study the Word.

Let’s be honest: most of us are wasting far more time than we realize.

The Bible warns us again in Colossians 4:5, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." Are we living wisely, making the most of our days? Or are we letting time slip away on meaningless distractions?

The Forgotten Virtue of Modesty

Now, let’s talk about something that isn’t preached on much anymore—modesty.

I’ve been reading A Christian’s Daily Walk by Henry Scudder (1583–1652). He says something profound:

"When you put on your clothes, let that humble you. Consider that your clothing comes from the skins of animals, the fibers of plants, the hair of beasts, or even the excretions of a silkworm."

Think about that. Everything we wear—whether it’s cotton, wool, leather, or silk—came from something else. We have nothing to be proud of.

Scudder also warns against vanity and immodesty in our dress. And yet, I’ve been to so-called “churches” where the women dress no differently than the world. Short skirts, low-cut tops, tight jeans—it’s immodest and ungodly.

The Bible is clear:

• 1 Timothy 2:9-10 "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works."


• 1 Peter 3:3-4 "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

Yet today, many young women dress to attract attention rather than to honor God. Even in churches, they wear tight pants, high heels, and revealing clothing—trying to turn heads instead of cultivating inner beauty.

I remember a Pentecostal church in Stockton, California. The women there always wore long dresses, kept their hair in buns, and dressed modestly. You could spot them anywhere. Now, was that a bad thing? No. It was a testimony. They stood out in a world where modesty is mocked.

Romans 12:2 tells us:

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

We are called to be transformers, not conformers. But too many professing Christians today look, act, and live just like the world.

Examine Yourselves

The truth is, there are many false professions of faith today. That’s why 2 Corinthians 13:5 warns us:

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Are we truly living for Christ? Are we redeeming the time? Are we walking in holiness, or have we allowed the world to shape us?

I pray this encourages you to use your time wisely. Let us go forward, doing good like Jesus. As Philippians 2:5 says:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Amen.

Brother Carlton ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor, SAG member, and property cleanup expert, he now spends most of his time studying the Scriptures and helping small businesses grow more profitably using world-class tactics and strategies. He also offers business coaching and inspirational speaking to help entrepreneurs and individuals achieve greater success. If you're a business owner looking to increase revenue, attract more customers, or need a dynamic speaker for your next event, contact Carlton at [email protected].  Put help in the subject line.