With the passing of stunt rider/daredevil Evel Knievel the world is reminded once again that no one is immortal. Evel survived so many mishaps that some might call him unbreakable. Yet when he died of natural causes on November 30, 2007, it reminded all of us of the truth of the text in Hebrews 9:27: "...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment."

Twenty-something young people--young men in particular--seem to assume that they are immortal, unbreakable, invulnerable to injury, disease, or death. Actuarial tables and even the college buddies who "bought it" would argue otherwise, but no one seems to be listening. Fact is, all of us are hurtling at break-neck speed toward a brick wall, which none of us will get past. It doesn't matter whether we get there on a souped up motorcycle, or sky-diving, or free climbing, or reading in a quiet library; we'll get there no matter how. Unless the Lord comes for us, we'll all be going to Him.

Meanwhile, what do we do with the time we have until then? Time is precious. Don't waste it. Be careful what you trade it for. You can always get more money, but you will never get back one minute you have already spent. Spend it well!
Here are seven activities that are almost never time-wasters:

1. Training--For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8).


2. Learning--Whenever I set aside my know-it-all arrogance, the people around me can teach me a lot. Can you relate?


3. Loving--Love is one of the only things in the world that doesn't run out the more you exercise it. In fact, it increases!


4. Serving--Love is not a noun. It's a verb. It takes action for it to be real. Look around you! Someone needs your help, even right now.


5. Attacking--So much injustice, ignorance, and deception surrounds us that we can get intimidated. But if we confront it, much of it dissipates with very little resistance.


6. Defending--What are your core values? What do you think it worth fighting for? Take up a worthy cause, and don't back down!


7. Teaching--As you come to understand the world as it really is, perhaps you can help someone else to understand. Great teaching does not involve spoon-feeding, at least not for long. It inspires people to think for themselves.


8. Appreciating--Virtually none of us invests enough time simply appreciating the beauty and wonder of our world or the huge number of blessings with which we have been endowed. More gratitude will lighten your heart and open your eyes to possibilities you would miss in a more sour state.

Maybe right now you feel like you are in the middle of a jump over fourteen buses (Evel's last stunt, back in 1980). You're not sure you will sail past the fourteenth or crash somewhere in the middle. You stomach is sinking more quickly than your bike.

Here's the word of the Lord for mid-jump: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). There's a promise for now, for when you get to "the wall," and for beyond.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 03, 2007 at 3:04 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.