MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

“Make the most of your time or time will make the most of you.”

Two students, one young adult female and one young adult male, recently came home from school during their college break. The mother met them when they arrived with what seemed like a semester full of saved up dirty clothes. Initially she was wondered, silently, “Why in the world would they bring home all these dirty clothes? I know they don’t expect me to do them! They must have lost their minds up there in that institution of higher learning!” However, the mother put aside her pondering about the dirty clothes, enough clothes to fill all the bins in the laundry room, and she smile, and swiftly proceeded to focus on their academic performance. Looking back and forth to make sure the students knew she was talking to both of them, she asks, “Did you pass all your classes with good grades?”  The students answered at the same time, in perfect harmony, appearing like they had anticipated their mother’s question, and sounding like they had rehearsed their response, “We have not got our report cards yet.”

The mother’s body language says it all. She puts her hand on her hip, looks sternly at her young adult children, and says, “You know I taught as an adjunct professor last year, don’t you?” She does not wait for a response. She wasn’t really looking for one, and she continues to speak. “I know you have not got your report cards, but the professors have posted your grade in the system that you can access all your grades, including you submitted final grade. Let’s go to the computer and check how well you did. You can’t hide anything from me.”

As they go to the computer, one of the mother’s collegian students has a “no worries” look on her face. The other student, well, he has a stunned look on his face, a “HMJ” look! (HMJ means, “Help me Jesus!) What were the results? The daughter had earned all A’s and B’s, enough to make honor roll. The son, had 2 C’s, 1 D, and one F.

The mother tells the daughter, well done and tells her to go get settled in her room. The son tries to escape a lecture and picks up his bags to head to his room. The mother puts a halt to his escape, saying, “Son, you and I have to have a talk about your grades. I need to know what kept you from doing better. Whatever it is you are flirting with academic probation and even worse forgetting that we are financing your education so you can have a great career, better than me and your father.” The son responds, “I’ll do better next time.” The mother responds by telling the son, “Make the most of your time or time will make the most of you.” That’s a lesson to remember all through your life. The son says, “Yes, ma’am,” and starts to leave the room. The mother says, “Not so fast, son. Let me share a story that should move you to do better and make the most of your time next semester.” She pulls out her Bible and proceeds to read the verses below. When she is finished, she has a word of prayer with her son, expressed how much she loves him, and tells him to go get settled in his room. I guess she would deal with the dirty clothes later! Makes sense to me!

Perhaps you and I ought to take the mother in the account above personal and evaluate how we are doing in regard to making the most of our time when it comes to all areas of our life, including our performance as disciples of Jesus Christ. Have a great day!  Be blessed!

“See then that you walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise men, making the most of the time because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16 Modern English Version)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King