Spent

Have you ever heard the term "Spent?" Someone says "I just feel spent!"

Often i feel this way after handling a confrontation or a dispute or an emotional upset concerning loved ones or fellow brethren (sisters) or a client or co-worker or employee, but mainly only those closest to me.

Think about it: How many times have you gotten mad at the pastor. He just didn't handle things the way you would have liked. He seemingly sided with the other person. He did not take your side! He/She was not sympathetic or he/she flat made you mad.

Perhaps you told him about it. Let him have it; No holds barred! Really gave him/her a piece of your mind! Perhaps you simply, passive aggressively withdrew your affection. No longer greeting him/her with warmth, smiles, hugs, caring conversation or prayers or support. If he/she is the person I think they are, given their calling, he/she probably endured your social innuendo. He/she loved you. Prayed for you. Listened to Gods message for you that week and faithfully delivered it. Without scorn or due recompense. Serving you.

He might have went to bat for you. Pleading with his/her spouse or other parishioners  not to hold it against you or confront your mal aligned behavior. Perhaps he/she had to mend several relationships your rift affected. Tirelessly explaining the spiritual walk of grace and bearing one another's burdens, of forgiveness and long suffering again and again. All the while you were holding a grudge against him/her!

At the end of the day, the long, hard, cold day, a day such as this, and likely, several days hence, that often accompany incidents of this nature, a person is simply spent! These are the kind of days that take so much out of the giver, the mediator, the pastor, minister, parent or overseer. The peron(s) is spent and the "time" is also spent.

The Apostle Paul said, "Even now I am being poured out like a drink offering"
Spent, that's what the apostle Paul was saying. Spent!

In our value system, let us value one another, preferring one another, sparing, salvaging, treasuring, not spending one another. If we add to each other joy, kindness or goodness, we are neither depleting one another nor ourselves, but when we pour out offenses and curses and build fences between the brethren, we have not added but "spent." When we value something we handle it with care. We treasure it, polish it. Guard it, Protect it, mend it when it's in need of repair or even broken.  We invest in it, have faith in it, believe for it, put it in a safe place to protect it's value.

Let us consider how not to spend one another. One day there will be nothing left of those we love and who love us.

 Let us spend time not people! And let us spend "time' wisely!

The apostle Paul said, "Redeem the day for it is evil" He said spend the day, while you have it. Don't let it be consumed by the evil that is so prevalent of our day. (It seems of everyday since the fall.)

How you will spend your time is up to you. I recommend you spend your time aware of the treasures.  The spiritual gifts we overlook, miss use, abuse and carelessly "spend." The gifts of time, souls, loved ones, of grace, mercy, love, fellowship, provision, comradery, faithfulness, gentleness... fruits...

Time is truly one of the most precious commodities on the planet. There is no synthetic time, nor will there ever be. Yet God has lavished it upon us, breath upon breath, moment upon moment, glance upon glance. Like currency it is ours to spend. Only, we never know how much we have been given...Could be a moment...Could be a century. Each and every bit of time counts! How we spend it matters.

So, like the bible implores, Let us redeem the day! If we fail to seize the day the lord has made, evil will consume it like a feast and we will stand at the threshold of the moment, at the dawn of our reckoning, wondering why it happened and how we might take it back. Tomorrow is too late. God said redeem the "day!" Not: redeem the future or a later moment when you feel like doing something, or sometime when ever the unction arises... or when your feelings have dictated * "Now is the time for salvation." ...* "Let us not be slothful concerning the times." .. * " There is a time and a season for everything." .. *"Seek the Lord while it is still time."

Time, it is worth saying again, is ours to spend, a gift from God. There is much instruction in the bible concerning time, much definition of time's spiritual/eternal as well temporal characteristics, of it's best uses and worst, of it's caveats, miss-uses, losses and seasons.

I like being a christian. God is so fair. He left us an instruction manual for our every breath!

Heed Gods instructions and receive His "gifts" accordingly. There are no do-overs or the turning back of time. Yet Time and Gods mercies are new every morning. Fresh from heaven.

Receiving each morning anew, each moment with fresh anticipation, soberness of mind and sure appreciation of the gift and it's preciousness. Prioritizing and finding dominion over your day begins with dominion of your heart.

Spend the day. Not people!