Wasting Time

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:15-17

“Hey, Abe, have you played Command Central Two?” Carlos asked as they walked into their classroom at church. “It’s way harder than the first one.”

Abe shook his head. “Nah, I haven’t tried it. After Pastor Cal’s lesson last week, I thought maybe I should give up video games.” The kids standing nearby stopped talking and stared at Abe in astonishment. Abe looked at Pastor Cal. “You said the Bible tells us to use our time well and not to waste it.”

“Does that mean I shouldn’t watch sports anymore?” asked Sam.

“Or play games on my tablet?” asked Daphne.

Pastor Cal smiled. “I’m glad God is using the message I shared to help you all think about how you spend your time. But do you think God wants you to give up those things completely?”

The kids looked at each other uncertainly. “Maybe,” said one of them. “Doesn’t He?”

“Not necessarily,” said Pastor Cal. “In fact, doing things like playing games or watching TV can help us rest and spend time with others, both of which are very important. But we need to be wise about how we do those activities. Let me put it this way. My doctor wants me to be more careful about what I eat because my stomach can’t handle some of the spicy stuff I like. But my doctor didn’t say I should give up food completely. I can even eat some spicy food, but I need to use good judgment on what I’ll eat and what I won’t. And we should all use good judgment on what activities we’ll do and how much time we’ll spend doing them. If an activity is bad, stop doing it. If it’s not wrong, be self-controlled and careful about how much you do it. Remember that the Lord has given us the time we have so we can learn and grow as we enjoy His blessings and build our relationships with Him and others. Trust Him to help you make wise choices about how you spend your time.”

All the kids were quiet for a moment. Then Carlos announced, “I’m willing to give up math completely!”

Everyone laughed. “Good for you,” said Pastor Cal. “But I doubt your teacher and parents will be quite as enthusiastic as you are about that idea!”

-Mike Dize

How About You?

Are you wise about how you spend your time? Do you make sure important things like spending time with Jesus and helping out at home fit into your schedule? God doesn’t want you to give up all the fun things you like to do—He wants you to enjoy those things! But if something is wrong, or if the time you spend on it is doing more harm than good, it’s time to stop.* Use the time God has given you wisely.

*If you have trouble stopping an activity, tell a trusted adult so they can help.

Today’s Key Verse:
Ephesians 5:16 Make the best use of your time. These are sinful days. (NLV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Use time wisely