THE VALUE OF TIME What
is the most valuable thing on earth? Time,
because
everything is acquired in time and all of man's business is conducted by time.
You could have food, clothing, fabulous homes, wisdom - have all you want, but
if you do not have time, it means - you have nothing. What
is the worst thing on earth for man? The
loss of time. Because by wasting time, we cannot acquire anything; we
cannot have
anything; by
losing time, we lose everything. We even lose ourselves. Another
question: What do people value the least? And what is the most disorganized and
the most squandered thing on earth? Time.
A
large segment of the people live as if by guesswork, according to the accepted
custom, day by day, year by year, not at all concerned about what they did with
their days
and years
or how
they lived
their lives. Sometimes we
mourn over the loss of some existing trifles, but we have no regrets at all, nor
are we sorry, when we foolishly lose
not just some
petty cash,
but the
most precious minutes of our time. This
is why the Holy Apostle Paul cautions us against the useless waste of time and
offers lawful provisions that we wisely regulate each minute of our life:
"See then," says he, "that you walk circumspectly, not as fools
but as the wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph.
5:15-16). When the Apostle says. "See
then, redeem the time", with
these words he wants us to understand that by time true happiness is also
acquired, just as by money all things necessary for this physical life are
purchased, and that consequently, the proper use of time is very similar to the
use of money in good hands. A wise man will not lose a single penny foolishly; he
will count exactly the
entire amount which he has and will attach a special purpose for each cent. We
must do exactly the same thing; and then we shall arrange our time; we must
faithfully reckon with it, every hour and every minute must be determined for
this or that purpose; every day must be redeemed with good deeds
for our
benefit and
for the
benefit of
our neighbours. The Lord did not set aside one minute of our lives for
idleness, harmful deeds, or simply to do nothing at all. Bishop
Jeremiah the Hermit |