Spare Change...How Do You Spend It?

It’s Friday afternoon, and I am beginning my weekly countdown to 5 pm. Only a few more hours to go, and then I will be free for the weekend to do whatever I please. Or will I?

How many times a day do you think this way, "I am free to do as I please"?  I realize many of us spend our days dictated by someone else’s schedule or agenda. We have jobs that tell us when to arrive and when to leave. We have expectations and goals to meet each day, and they are rarely set by us.

It would stand to reason that when we break out of that routine, we wish to control the remainder of our time - our “spare change” if you would. We rarely value time as a commodity, until we run out of it. Our desperate attempt to grab hold of whatever extra minutes we can find and hoard them for ourselves is a natural reaction, but not the most valuable or advantageous.

We all have obligations in life. We must eat. We must have shelter. We must have clean clothing. We must be able to provide for personal hygiene. And if you are raising a family, you do this not only for yourself, but for a spouse and children as well.

It is beyond the obligations…apart from the have-to’s and must-do’s that I am focusing.

What do we do with the “leftovers”? No matter how busy any of us are, there is always extra time in a day, and we would do well to consider how it is spent. We must begin to see time in the realm of monetary value. One would not toss a few extra dollars to the street simply because they did not have an immediate need of them. In like manner, we should not be so casual with how we approach our spare time.

Now, obsession is never a good thing in any instance, and we should not micro-manage how we spend our days. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and there should be time and resources that are used just for fun.

We are, however, held accountable for how we use our minutes and hours. Each moment we are alive is a gift, and should be treated as such. In this light, even our moments of respite and relaxation should have purpose. When is the last time that you stopped to consider how you were going to spend the next 30 minutes, or the next hour of your life? Are you prone to consider the most productive use of that time, or are you a typical couch-potato; slipping into a comatose state, staring at the screen mindlessly while stuffing your face with goodies from the kitchen?

I must admit that I fall into both camps, and more so to the latter as of late. Life has become so hectic for me that the thought of planning out any more of my time is arduous at best. Even still, there is a difference in me when I make an effort to be intentional with my time.

So, how can we make the most of our “spare change” of time?

First, I believe that we owe it to the Lord, and to ourselves to ask Him for direction. This may seem like a radical concept…but as people of faith I don’t see anything strange in having a conversation with Jesus, asking “How would you have me to spend my afternoon/evening?”. You may be surprised at His answer! Perhaps He would have you stroll around your neighborhood; taking time to breath in the fresh air, escaping from the strangle hold of technology, and just becoming part of His amazing creation – all the while giving your body a much needed boost of physical activity! Alternatively, He may prompt you to pray for someone, to read His word or another book that will encourage or inspire you, or to simply spend time in His presence, worshiping Him. You can NEVER go wrong there!

How about taking a look around you, right where you live? Are there tasks within your home that have been pushed off for far too long? I know we all joke about that “honey do” list that typically builds up over time, but part of being a good steward over that which God has blessed us is the physical undertaking of care and maintenance. Is your home in need of a good spring cleaning? Enlist the help of your household to tackle chores together. You have likely heard the saying “many hands make light the work”. There is such truth in some of these old proverbs! The more hands on deck, the faster these items can be completed, and then everyone is free once again, with the added blessing of a clean and well-maintained environment!

Another way to use your extra hours is to look to your community. Are there places within your city that you could volunteer a few hours of your time? Though we may feel our contributions are small, they can have big impact! It takes many people together to provide help for those in need, and the neediness will never run out! It could include volunteering at a local hospital or elderly care center. You could also give time to an animal shelter or rescue, or offer your services to the library or community centers. Food banks and outreach organizations almost always need an extra hand, and the appreciation felt by the recipients is tangible. We never know what the future holds for any of us, and could easily be on the other end of that serving spoon at some point, needing the help that is being provided.

Free time is a rare commodity today. It seems we are all running from one event to the next, apart from the daily requirements of work or school. As a society, we are pulling ourselves thinner and thinner. We should be actively pursuing down time, and ensuring that we manage some control over it. It is all too easy to fall prey to time wasters such as TV, social media, and video games, just to name a few. We must exercise some measure of control and intent in our life.

God has appointed to each of us a certain number of days, and we do not know our running balance. We must strive to live each day to the fullest; gathering joy and fellowship as fruit, and planting seeds of our time that will bear a harvest long after we are gone!

Where will you invest your spare change today?