My time in the University of Cape Town is very routine.  I get up at about 6:30am, have a quick breakfast, do my Quiet Time, walk up the mountain (the famous Table Top Mountain is just behind the university), and reach the library before 8:30am.  I’ll do my research and writing up to about 7pm.  Then I’ll return to the hostel to make dinner.  I’ll start work again at about 9pm and work till before midnight (occasionally I sleep early).  On Saturday, I’ll wash my clothes and do some simple house-keeping.  Then I’m back to my books.  I rest on Sunday and write my pastoral letter.  Someone remarked that I should take some time to tour the place.  Perhaps I should but I replied: “I’ve no time for that.”  In short, I’m very busy.

But what is my goal in being so busy?  Is it to pursue a degree?  Yes, but what is that degree for?  A few days ago, I did some reflection and reminded myself of my goal in life—I live to please God.  Everything I do must be in God’s will and directly or indirectly bring glory to God.  Anything that does not achieve that is time wasted.

It is good to be busy.  When a person has too much free time, he or she will start to do sinful things.  David is an example.  Instead of fighting wars for the country, he was at home.  That was where he spotted a woman (Bathsheba) bathing and turned that adulterous thought into acts of adultery, deceit and murder.  It destroyed his life and he almost lost his kingdom for that sin.  Thus, find something useful to do.

I’ve digressed.  Let me return to my main topic.  It’s good to be busy but it is critically important that you are busy for the right reasons.  Can you imagine a brilliant architect spending his whole life designing a house for a cat?  You would say that he is wasting his life.  In the same way, the things you are busy about must lead you to achieve something of real value—only things done for God has real value.  To be more specific, only things done according to God’s will is worth doing.  Let me list down some.

Jesus says we are the light and salt of the world (Matt 5:13-14).  Our lives must be spiritually vibrant so that we can change the world by turning people away from sin and that they may surrender their lives to Jesus as Saviour.  Are you the salt and light at work, at home, among your friends and even your Facebook friends?  Are people attracted to you because of your Christian conduct and lifestyle?  Do they see you as a serious Christian?  Do you talk to people about Jesus, or is your talk only about things of the world?

I wish to remind students that you have a responsibility to study hard.  You should be logging in a reasonable number of hours doing not only your school homework but if possible, extra work that will help you do well in your class tests and major examinations.  But I’m not saying that you must score As to be considered a good student.  A good student is someone who has done his or her best.  It is measured by faithfulness and not results.

Parents, be reminded that your main goal for your child is not academic but spiritual—to train him to become a person who loves the Lord (Deut 6:5-9).  When your child fears and loves the Lord, the Lord Himself will bless him all his life.  You would have given him the best.  But if you want him to fear and love the Lord, it must start with you.  Children pick up the lifestyle and habits (good or bad) of their parents.

It’s time to take a step back and re-evaluate how you are using time and the things that keep you so busy.  Is your life focused on doing things of eternal value—to glorify God?  Don’t waste time—life is precious.