One day last week my husband Scott and I took the day off to spend it together. A telemarketer called him and, whether he meant to or not, Scott answered his phone. It seemed like the caller talked on for eons before Scott finally said he was not interested. The caller took a second to catch his breath, then he launched into another long spill. Scott held the phone and continued to listen quietly. I was coming unglued. “Hang up,” I mouthed. After the longest time, Scott again told the caller that he was not interested in whatever was being sold. Still the caller chatted on and on and on. I whispered commands for Scott to ask to be removed from their calling list, and to hang up. Finally Scott did. But not before the guy had stolen valuable time, our time.

There was a time in my life that solicitors did not bother me. I would answer, even if I knew it was a solicitation. I would listen intently, respond and finish the call. I do not know what has changed. Maybe it is my coming face to face with cancer in recent years and the thought of dying. Maybe it is because I am getting older and I am seeing that I have less of my life left. Maybe I have just grown impatient as I have gotten older. Whatever it is, I see much clearer now the value of my time and I do not want to waste any of it.

Many years ago in another lifetime, I had a second job. In addition to my full-time office day job, I worked for a telemarketing firm at night. Yes, I was one of those people who called just as you were sitting down to eat your dinner to ask you why you had not renewed your Reader’s Digest subscription. You hated me. I know. That’s why I hated that job, because I knew you hated me. Please forgive me. I was going through a divorce and trying to pay a mortgage on my house and rent for my apartment both at the same time. Hard times.

From those days, I learned that telemarketers have to get two “No’s”. Their boss is listening. So the kind thing to do if you do not want what they are selling is to just say, “I know you have to have two “No’s”, so “No” and “No”, and “Please remove me from your call list.” They will appreciate it, I promise. You see, their time is valuable too, and they are being paid based on the number of sales they make. Time is money.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, and 8760 hours in a year. The richest man in the world and the poorest man in the world both live by this same clock. Time is valuable to every one of us.

Ephesians 5:15-16 cautions against our wasting time. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Billy Graham once said, “The greatest waste in all of our earth … is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”

There is much work to be done. As Christians, God calls us to go, baptize and disciple (Matthew 28:18-20). This is in addition to our crazy life we have just doing what we have to do every day. Each day is another opportunity for us to work toward this calling. Time spent spreading the gospel is never wasted. Time spent investing in the lives of other people is never wasted. But before we can be used by God to pour into the lives of others, we must first be filled ourselves. This comes from time spent with God in His presence, in prayer and in His Word. All of these things have at least one thing in common  They take time.  It is important.

It is not about having time. It is about making time. How will we spend the remainder of our days here on earth? Will we make time for the things that matter the most to God?

Dear Lord: Thank You for giving us the blessing of each and every day of our lives. Please help us to prioritize our days, to use our time wisely, and give us an urgency to serve You and to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ with others. Thank You for sending Your only Son to die for our sins and giving us this blessed hope of eternal life with You in Heaven because of His sacrifice on the cross. Amen

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Have you grown impatient with telemarketers too? Is there something that God is especially calling you to do?  We would love to hear your experiences, comments and thoughts. Please reply below.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost. May God bless your days as you seek to serve Him.