FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART December 5, 2022

For the boy “Growing Up on Dump Ground Road,” school was not too great of a challenge. He was a good student, as far as academics was concerned. Yet, back in those days, there was a section at the bottom of the report card that dealt with a student’s conduct. It addressed such matters as: “Talks Too Much” and “Makes Good Use of Time.” While the DGR kid shined with A’s and B’s at the top of the card, his scores on these two issues were not always good.

I know this comes as a shock to those who know the man that God grew from that boy. There are probably a few people today, such as my wife and my congregation, that would still give me low marks on the matter of “Talks Too Much.” I often joke that I am in the only profession where people complain if you work too long. Yet, in my defense, most of the time I am talking about Jesus. And He is an inexhaustible subject! I never grow weary of telling people about my Lord.

Now, I have learned some valuable lessons in the area of “Makes Good Use of Time.” I know that by nature I tend to be a procrastinator, putting off until tomorrow anything that I don’t want to do today. And, knowing this about myself, I have developed some disciplinary skills regarding time management and working ahead. This is especially true when it involves other people being dependent on me completing my task, so that they can do their work. There is room for improvement, but I think I get an “S+.”

The Bible has much to say about the need to guard our tongues. It also speaks to the matter of making the most of our time. We read in Psalm 90:12, “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” We know that we only have a limited time here on earth. And we are all allotted the same 24 hours to each day. We cannot expand our days or extend our years. Yet, we can be good stewards of the time God grants us, speaking and doing all that we can to honor Him and to serve others.

Serving in love, Bro. Jim