Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Listen to the Word

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.  (Galatians 1:10)

Today's Scripture gives us another important guideline for managing our time: We must decide whose approval we seek for our to-do lists. 

Often, our schedules get out of control because people make demands on our time, and we want them to be impressed with us, so we give in to their demands. If I don't run an errand with a friend like they asked, they will be disappointed with me, so I have to do it. If I don't mow the grass today, my neighbors might think I'm some kind of hillbilly redneck from Arkansas, so I have to do it. So much of what we do is done to win the approval (or avoid the disapproval) of others.

God invented time, and he decided each day would have 24 hours. He invented us, and he knows what he made us to do. He set things up so that the tasks he gives us will fit into the time that he gives us. If we don't have enough hours in the day to get to all of the important things on our plates, we might want to ask ourselves who we are allowing to decide what goes on our plates. Are we servants of Christ, or slaves to public opinion? Whose opinion matters most?

Live the Word

Practice saying "no" today. If someone asks you to do something that is outside of God's best for you, kindly but clearly decline...