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You have the same 24 hours in your day as the most accomplished and greatest men and women in the history of the world. Then why do you still feel like you don't have enough time to do what you want to do and be who you want to be? Between all the busyness of life it feels like we just don't have the time. But what if it was possible to make more time. I think we can. And I think I know how.
Through a look at biblical precedent, and the value of community, and a few dad jokes, "Making Time" is timely look at timeless principles and a great resource for you, your family, church, or small group.
The Host: Hey gang, today, we are
going to talk about investing...
your time.
Becoming who you want to be with
the relationships you want to have.
Let's head straight to the phones today.
Joining me is our first caller,
caller: welcome to the show.
Voice of the people: Hey,
thanks for taking my call.
I love the show.
Uh, listen, I have a question you
mentioned on a recent episode, if.
I want to make more time.
And I need to get connected with others,
my friend, group, or community, so
to speak will help me make more time.
But as an adult, how do you go
about making a community or a
friend group that can do that?
I mean, it takes a lot of time on
both my part and theirs so what
if I don't have that kind of time?
, The Host: if you want the kind of
relationships where you can count
on each other through thick and thin
help each other out in a pinch and
make time for each other, then you've
got to invest a little time upfront.
Which brings us to this
episode's big idea.
You don't have time not
to invest in others.
Welcome to making time a series
where I try to make some more time.
Time for the good stuff.
Audrey: â¨Chapter 2: Making
Time By Investing Itâ¨
The Host: There's a lot of
things I'd like to have.
I'd like to have a good,
healthy retirement account.
I'd like to have six or more abs.
At least two, maybe.
I'd like to have perfect more
frequently flossed teeth.
And I'd like to have the kind
of friendships where they
can just drop by whenever.
Watch my kids I'd watch theirs.
We help each other with weekend projects,
bring over food when they're busy we
when they weep and laugh when they laugh.
But all of those things
take a little investment.
I need to put more of my
paycheck into my retirement.
I need to actually floss more often.
If I want close lifelong friends, I need
to invest way more time than people.
But the problem is that even though I
know exactly how to get all six abs.
I also know how far it is
to get from here to there.
And how much easier it is to plop
down on my couch today and put off
going to the gym until tomorrow.
And to make it even harder.
I'm not the only one trying to work out.
I also need to navigate
everyone else's availability.
Imagine if I wanted to go to the gym,
but couldn't because the treadmill
had to take its kids to soccer.
Here's the secret though.
You and I have the same 24
hours that everyone else has.
The most productive person, you know,
the busiest person you know, The
most laid back, they all have the
same amount of time in their day.
That just all spend
their time differently.
I'm not saying that you aren't busy,
I'm not diminishing how much time
things in your life cost and the
same way that financial inflation and
lifestyle creep cut into my retirement.
We're going through time-flation and
we're all experiencing time creep.
So let's see what the Bible says about how
we should be spending our time allowance.
Hannah: Philippians 2:3-4.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit, but with humility, consider one
another as more important than yourselves.
Do not merely look out for your
own personal interests, but also
for the interests of others.
The Host: Don't have
time to spend on others.
Spend less on yourself.
Just like with financial investment.
Cut down on the time that you
spend on yourself in order to
shift your spending to others.
I am glad this is a
podcast and not in person.
Before you unsubscribe and leave
angry comments, remember this:
we're talking about investing here.
And investing is based off
of this wonderful concept
called compound interest.
Compound interest is where you
invest a principle amount and
then earn interest on that.
And then over time.
You earn interest on both
the amount you invested.
And your earlier interest.
Voice of the people: Look, I know what
compound interest is, but what does
that have to do with making friends?
The Host: ah, caller you're still here.
That is a great question though.
When you spend time on others, then
over time that small blossoming
friendship begins to become a
community that helps you make time.
Like in our first episode.
The more time that you make.
The more, you are able to
reinvest in those relationships.
To paraphrase Philippians two verse
four, do not merely look out for your
own simple interest, but also for the
compound interest you invested in others.
The more time you spend on yourself,
the less you have to spend on others.
And that's a bad idea.
Because you just don't have time
to be who you are made to be.
And do what you were made to do.
Alone.
In Acts 2, Jesus had just
ascended into heaven.
And on the day of Pentecost,
God sent the holy spirit.
Peter gets up.
Preaches pretty good sermon.
And about 3000 people are saved.
I bet the local second Methodist church
of Jerusalem was pretty surprised when
3000 people showed up the next Sunday.
Oh, yeah, churches didn't exist yet.
This was the beginning of a
brand new type of community.
What are they going to do
with 3000 brand new believers?
There wasn't a website with next steps.
No YouTube channels dedicated
to how to build a church and no
incredibly handsome podcasters
creating curriculum or Bible studies.
To handle an influx of
thousands of new believers,
these 11 guys needed to get
real cozy with people real fast.
Hannah: Acts 2: 43.
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.
And many wonders and signs were
taking place through the apostles.
And all the believers were together
and had all things in common; and
they would sell their property and
possessions and share them with all,
to the extent that anyone had need.
Day by day, continuing with one
mind in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, they were
taking their meals together with
gladness and sincerity of heart.
Praising God and having
favor with all the people.
And the Lord was adding to
their numbers day by day
those who were being saved.
The Host: These guys woke up one
morning, not a care in the world
then in comes the Holy Spirit.
Peter opens his mouth and next thing
you know, they suddenly have 3000
people saying I'm in now, what?
So, what did they do?
They made as much time as they could.
They completely stopped looking out
for their own personal interests.
They literally sold all of their
personal interests and focused
entirely on the interest of others.
They made time by jumping headfirst
into community as fast as they could.
Voice of the people: Okay.
So your saying that in order for me
to make a little time for my friends,
I should sell everything I have.
And start a commune.
The Host: No.
well, what I am saying is that
you need relationships in order
to live out your life's purpose.
You can't afford to live
your life without others.
Because you need them in the same way
that the disciples needed community.
We are commanded to be in community
in order to get the job done.
Voice of the people: Okay.
So how do you balance the two, the
short-term investments for personal
needs and investing in others?
The Host: Please, no interruptions.
I'm on a roll.
What was I talking about?
Oh yeah.
The second reason we need to
be in community is for our own
personal benefit and growth.
We know that iron sharpens iron.
But here's the real kicker.
We often hear God during our
quiet time, maybe during a sermon
or while in personal prayer.
But we also so often hear God
through brothers and sisters filled
with the Spirit, through others.
God loves to use others to speak to us
just as he uses you to speak to others.
The real difference between
conviction and accountability is
that conviction comes from hearing
that still small voice inside.
And accountability is spoken out loud.
God uses both.
And God uses both voices to
tell you that he loves you.
One of them is a lot
easier to hear though.
Voice of the people: None of
these change the fact that I don't
have time to invest in others.
I get what you're saying about how it
should be a priority, but I just don't
have the time to make it a priority.
The Host: Which brings us back to
how to make time for the good stuff.
In this case it is how to make
time for investing in other people.
Philippians 2 asks us to spend less
time on our own personal interests and
more time on the interest of others.
This doesn't mean that you need
to ditch your job and your family
and show up at some random church,
declaring that you will pastor
them and show them genuine concern
like no one else.
In fact, often our career is how we can
be humble and selflessly serve others.
Our family is both how we can show love
to our neighbors and the beneficiary
of building a caring neighborhood
or school district or soccer league.
Or whatever.
The error that I see the
most, at least in my own life.
Is the same as my financial investing.
I spend too much on extras on features.
Or bells and whistles.
That I don't need so that I
can't afford to put extra into
things I ought to be spending on.
I can't volunteer at church
because I've committed to big,
huge obligations at school or work.
I have a bad habit of spending
large chunks of time on things
now, and assume that is also the
only way to invest in others.
But think back to when you
were in high school or college.
You made friends more because of frequent
short moments rather than hours at a time.
Dropping by someone's dorm room
for 15 minutes to hang out or chat,
riding your bike by someone's house
to see if they're home.
Texting them something funny.
It was the cumulative interest
from all of the small moments.
That led to deep and at
times, lifelong friendships.
You don't even have to schedule a coffee.
You can just drop off a
coffee and chat for a minute.
If someone consistently is
thoughtful in the small things
for us, we say that they're great
because they made time for us.
And that's what we're going for here.
Now, dear caller, permit
me to pause a moment here.
We've talked a lot about time.
But there's one thing we haven't done yet.
Voice of the people: You're
going to say time travel.
Aren't you.
The Host: Yup, time travel.
Because my good caller, we have a
very special guest joining us on the
other line: yourself from the future.
Voice of the people: Hello.
Hey, I've got some news this year.
Your life is going to change.
It is?
Yeah, things are going to
be a lot more inconvenient.
You're making me nervous.
You're gonna be short on time, a lot.
This year, you'll worry way more.
You're going to be frustrated more.
But not for yourself.
Because this year, you're going to make
some friends along with the hard stuff.
You're going to laugh more.
You're going to be more excited.
And you're going to be more joyful.
Yes, you.
You're going to be hearing from God
and it's going to be through them.
You're going to be reading the
Bible and praying more and your
spiritual life is going to gradually.
Be pretty incredible.
And they're going to have
their lives changed by you.
Yes, you it's true.
Well, how's this going to happen?
You start with investing in some
people it starts off slow and it's
hard to fit in your schedule, honestly.
It takes a little work to connect
with others in your group at first,
but then it clicks and future
you eventually just becomes you.
This is future you saying, thanks.
Thanks for investing in that group.
It made life better.
The Host: If the big idea
of the episode is right.
If you don't have enough time in the
day, if you don't have enough time
on earth, not to invest in others.
Then we have to get started.
You have to invest time in others.
It's a command.
But there is no set amount of
time you have to invest in others.
If you can't invest years, invest weeks.
If you can't invest weeks, invest hours.
If you can't invest
hours, invest a moment.
A moment with the Holy Spirit changed
the life of Peter and 3000 people
who happen to be in the same room.
Invest a moment in someone's life.
You don't have time not to.
So here's this week's practice.
Each day, this week
look for someone that you'd like
to invest in and spend a minute.
Thinking of a way to care for them.
To make them feel valuable.
Pray for them and ask God
to love them through you.
Don't worry about spending a
huge amount of time on them.
But do aim for a variety of people.
A diverse portfolio is
always a healthy thing.
Even some of the people that Paul invested
in wound up leaving him in the end.
Not every friendship lasts,
not every investment pays off.
There is some risk involved
in any relationship.
But God knew every single sin,
every single moment of petty
betrayal and selfish thought that
you would make in your whole life.
And he decided to make you anyway.
And the same thing is true
of the people around you.
If God is investing in them, then I can't
think of a better way to spend your time.
Let's pray.
Our God and father.
Thank you for the time
that you have given us..
Thank you for your grace and thank you for
the privilege of being stewards of that
grace.
We pray that you would bless the
moments you give us to spend with
others this week in Jesus name.
Amen.
Voice of the people: Wait a minute.
We talked a little bit about making time
for ourselves, and making time for others.
Isn't this a Christian thing?
Shouldn't we be making time for God.
The Host: That's a great question.
For the next episode.