Where Does the Time Go?

      Earlier this week, I ran across the following accounting of our time. In an average lifetime you will spend 8 years at work, 4 years eating, 5 years standing, 12 years talking, 2 years unsuccessfully returning phone calls, 1 year searching for misplaced objects, 9 months opening junk mail and 8 months waiting at traffic lights.

      If you live to 70, you'll have at your disposal about 613,600 hours. 204,400 will be devoted to sleep, 176,800 will be spent at work or school, 51,100 will be used for eating, bathing and going to the toilet, 38,325 will go in traveling from here to there, and 76,000 will be spent on household chores. This leaves you with only 66,975 hours for everything else.

      We already know Ephesians 5:15-16: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

      This accounting puts it all into perspective. The number for sleep is based on 8 hours per day. The one for work and school averages out to 7 hours per day. 4 years of eating averages out to 1 hour and 22 minutes per day. The 66,975 hours averages out daily to about 2 hours and 40 minutes, the equivalent of about 7 ¾ years or 10.5 percent of the 70 year old’s life.

      Consider some more figures. Anything we do for 20 minutes per day, over a 70 year life span, will equal a year of life. 30 minutes per day equals about 1 ½ years. An hour equals about 3 years.

      How are we spending our time? It adds up. Do you spend 1 or 2 hours per day watching television (3 to 6 years)? How many hours playing video games? How many hours reading the newspaper or magazines? How much time per day do you spend thinking about all you didn’t do yesterday or figuring out how to put off what you ought to be doing until tomorrow?

      How much time do you spend reading your Bible? …praying? If it is only five minutes, over a 70 year life span you reach about 3 months? How much time do you spend talking with brethren about spiritual things? How much time do you spend inviting others to attend assemblies or classes?

      The average person spends over an hour feeding himself physically every day. How much time do we spend feeding ourselves spiritually? Do we rely on 4 hours per week? That equals only 1 year and 8 months compared to the 4 years spent eating. Those who only attend on Sunday morning only rack up 5 months (remember we spend about 9 months opening junk mail—15 minutes per day).

      I can’t tell you how to spend your time. Please, let me encourage you to spend it wisely, seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.

Edwin L. Crozier