Don't Waste Your Time...

Don't waste your time arguing with or listening to people who are argumentative by nature. Some people will "argue with a stop sign", that's what they use to say in the old days. Just ignore the noise and focus on other things that are more important. Let the small stuff go! There are many more urgent things going on that require more attention.

Let us take a look at John chapter nine. Here, Jesus heals a man who was blind at birth and the Pharisees were trying to find out every thing they could to find fault in the miraculous thing Jesus did for this man. First, the disciples asked Jesus, what sin did the man commit? John 9:1 - As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answers, 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. The disciples were trying to figure out, what caused this man to be in this state? What sin could he have committed? Jesus redirected their attention on the God who can heal this man. The work that we must be about for our God is enormous.  

Then, in verse 13, the Pharisees started to question this miraculous thing. 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” The Pharisees were so busy trying to discredit Jesus that their tunnel vision could only focus on the notion that this man could not be from God because he performed this miracle on the Sabbath day, which was against the law. They were totally oblivious or did not want to recognize the thing that they should have been focusing on, the fact that this man who had been blind since birth was now able to see. Wow! Isn’t that something to get excited about? Who would not want to give thanks for this man who had been disabled and by God’s works through Jesus Christ, he was freed from this disability. This is a reason to talk and shout about! Spread this news and see how much attention can be drawn to this Man.

In verse four, Jesus’ response to the disciples was ‘As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.’ There are too many other imperative things that we can focus on, such as hunger, misguided people, distrust by those who are closest to us, envy, the sick and down trotted, the financial state of this nation, and right now the enormous gas prices we have to pay at the gas pumps and to heat our homes and dwellings. So, if there is anything that requires our attention right now, these would be at the top of the list.

So, the next time, you are faced with a situation where people are trying to distract you by twisting your words, saying things that are untrue, not speaking to you, or even bring you news that is not even worth a thought or two, just politely pull out your “Imperative List” and say, “Don’t waste my time with this, I have to divert my time to these items and be about the works that my God has sent me to do." Imperative means absolutely necessary or required. They many even want to join you, if not, stay focused and don’t waste your time with frivolous things when there are works that God wants you to do for the Kingdom. Ask yourself, what things will God be concerned with and do them!

Peace and Blessings,
~LaKenya