Too Busy

Life . . . is busy.

It makes me wonder, however, what is it busy with? Have I made the most out of my busyness, have I used my time for myself, to make things better for myself or did I use it to serve others?

It hit me this morning, while reading my devotions. I feel like I hear the words "too busy" so often. From myself, from students, from friends, from people in the Church . . . I think from pretty much just about anybody.

Is busyness crippling? Is it a result of our individualistic nature that we find ourselves so embedded in? Everything seems to be all about 'me' now. We are fed this line everywhere we go. It's about what makes 'us' happy, what fulfills my wants, desires, needs. We are a hardworking society, which is not all-together a bad thing but if it is on account of sacrificing relationships or having time to help those around you . . . well . . . what do you think?

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave" (Philippians 2:5-7, NLT). Paul tells us what our attitude should be; "Don't be selfish . . . Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too" (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT).

Over the last few weeks, our group has often talked about how yes we stop to talk to a homeless person in Toronto, handing them a bagged lunch, but all of this is during our alloted outreach time each week. What about outside of that time? Do we find ourselves stopping in the same way to sit and just chat for a bit? or are we headed to our destination in haste having no time to take a moment for another. I know I, myself, have done this many times. We all have our excuses as to why we don't have enough time . . . but it makes me think that God is bigger than our excuses, he sees right through them and though he does not condemn us in them, he continues to encourage us to walk in his ways, to love our neighbour as ourselves to the point of putting their needs ahead of ours. Anything less, simply put, would be unchristian and disobedient.

I like this one paragraph in my readings this morning, that really ties in that I would like to share with you:

"I think of how Jesus lived. I've heard many a sermon on what a busy man Jesus must have been. I'm not so sure about that. He had many demands pressing in on him from every direction, but he wasn't busy in the same way we are. He wasn't running from meeting to meeting or from practice to practice. He very well might have spent many nights sitting with a group of friends over dinner, lingering for hours and hours, just talking about life. By today's standards, that might even be called lazy and self -indulgent. But what mattered to Jesus was people - listening to them, loving them, and helping them. He was busy with the slow work of taking time to care for people. He was never too busy to stop and help someone" (A. Van Schooneveld, Hope Lives, p30).

That is my prayer, that I will learn to never be too busy to stop and help someone in need. This is part of my journey in following Jesus and his call on my life. To put aside my own wants, to put aside the ways of western society that have dictated my life for so long, so that I can follow God to the fullest. This is a process, one that he will continually help me with and through and there will be many times still that I will fumble and fall short but thankfully God is patient and he will continually encourage me and help me in this. What a wonderful Father we have, that Jesus might come and be like one of us to show us the true meaning of relationship and the utmost importance it has in our lives and in the lives of all our neighbours.

I encourage you . . .

Don't be too busy!