In a week where I have personally attended two funerals of close friends, I am reminded how little time there is in life.
Another friend’s parent heard recently that he was in stage 4 cancer and would be transferred to hospice care. The friend’s parent told his wife of over 50 years about how short the time had been.
Reality is: time flies. For many of us, we miss the daily opportunities to go the few extra feet to say “hi” or catch a meal together or extend a word of kindness. Instead, because something is pressing on our schedules or has us otherwise distracted, we postpone the word or action of kindness, of friendship, or of love.
The cold reality is though that those opportunities eventually run out and you never know when that is going to happen.
Life Is Short
James, the first pastor at Jerusalem, writes:
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)
Notice he describes life as a vapor. It is here now and then vanishes. No doubt you have blown your breath on a cold day and watched how it appears for a second and then disappears. What a fitting illustration for life.
I’ve often heard parents say (and agree with them totally!) that days are long and years are short. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Take Advantage of Today
What should we do then?
Take advantage of today. Right now is the only time that you have to engage one another, to express Christ’s love, demonstrate your love, show simple gratitude, and to encourage each other. Again, the sad reality is that time does run out, and we do not know exactly when that happens.
But you have today.
What Can You Do to Take Advantage of Today?
How should we handle today then? Here are a few ideas that have helped me in the past and I will try to implement today as well.
- Ask God to give you the right attitude toward people made in His image and those saved by His blood
- Smile more
- Overlook disappointments and disagreements you have with others – then choose kindness
- Treat people as if you were engaging Christ
- Seek to make another person’s day better
- Speak first
- Move toward others not away from them
- Talk to more people than normal before you go to your seat at church
- Wave at a few people you did not make it over to actually greet
- Try to have at least one meaningful conversation with someone besides a typical greeting
- If you know of a friend who has been struggling, offer to pray with that person
- If you do not see someone at church, reach out with a text or call
- Notice someone that you can follow up with by a text or card during the week
Blessings on your Lord’s Day in Christ!
Image Credit Sonrise
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together