We have all been guilty of making the statement, “I just don’t have the time.” Well, Holy Spirit really showed me that many of us who make that statement do so because we are so involved and focused on ourselves. We have all been conditioned to have this list to do and our lives planned out. Where do we give the Father time to use us in our perfectly scheduled day and long list of things to get done?
One of my prayers has been for the Father to help me to love sacrificially, with the same heart as Yeshua, and He has truly been teaching me about just that. Many know that we run a lawn care company. I try to get as much done during the day so there is not so much to do when my husband gets off of work. This week I got a lesson in the gift of time and a reminder that things aren’t always as they seem. We have a new sweet elderly customer, and she loves to talk. She called me Monday morning, on the day we were already scheduled to mow, with a simple call to ask for help; it definitely turned into over an hour of mostly listening on the phone. I knew I had a few yards ahead of me, and to be honest, I was hoping for a break in between. I know it was Holy Spirit reminding me of sacrifice, so I agreed to come on over early. She had made the statement that she hoped her house didn’t scare me and that it never used to look that way. I’m not going to lie, at first impression it looked like a mess. There were boxes everywhere and paper was scattered on her living room floor. I began to listen to her as we helped her move a few pieces of furniture and that mess suddenly became beautiful and so filled with love. The boxes lining the hallway belonged to two granddaughters that she took in to raise, and they had recently left for college. Another stack belonged to one of their friends that she also viewed as a daughter. Those papers scattered on the floor were some she was going through for insurance purposes as she had just lost her husband on February 14, which was also the day he had proposed to her. She can’t move a lot by herself because of a condition that has caused her to fall a lot. She loves to talk because her career consisted of her being on the phone all day for the hospital and now, she also loves to share stories of her husband who she misses so dearly. The time spent wasn’t just about moving furniture and boxes, but also about giving that time to be there for someone who has given so much in her life; it’s clear that she very much misses having someone to simply share her time with or talk to. Seeing her smile and laugh while telling us stories was so fulfilling and a sweet reward for me. I was reminded of just how many of our elderly feel this same way, who live lonely lives because the world has seemingly forgotten them.
This doesn’t just apply to the elderly. It reminded me that we shouldn’t judge the appearances of a person or situation because we don’t always know the story behind them. We pass so many hurting and lonely people on a daily basis. The greatest act of love we can share sometimes is simply the gift of our time, to sit, to listen, and to simply let them know that someone cares. Let us also remember that all of these things we work so hard to achieve on this earth are meaningless in the end. The only thing we can take with us in eternity is another soul. So, the next time the opportunity is presented, let’s not check our planner, but make the sacrifice and give the precious gift of time.
Philippians 2:3-4 NASB
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Matthew 6:19-21 Amp
“Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.
