Letter to Christians

By L. E. Ketcherside

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     Dear Brethren: Our trip to Florida was short, but enjoyable. We spent five days with our son and his family. It was a very happy reunion. I shall not bore you with my many observations on that trip. However, one big question has burdened my mind since our return. How in the name of all that is reasonable, can such keen interest be had in the African race over the ocean, when millions of that race in our country, and in our very midst are dying without Christ or spiritual consideration? If you have the answer to that question, please pass it on to me!

     Have you ever considered the subject of time from either of its many angles? I have just been looking over Eccl. 3:1, 17; 8:6. I find it very interesting. "A time to be born, and a time to die." It is the time between birth and death that concerns me most.

     Have you ever thought of time as a physical asset, a medium of exchange? Or something to be measured by material values? Take a look at Exo. 21:18, 19 and try to arrive at a just compensation for "time lost." Is it possible that time is the chief asset through which all material things are enjoyed?

     As an example: One spends 40 hours in a factory. At the end of the week a check for so many dollars is received. Has the employee not purchased that amount of money by first giving the employer 40 hours of time? Time is a valuable asset, perhaps the most valuable asset man enjoys, and yet it is freely received. Yet we spend it more lavishly, and generally more foolishly than any other earthly possession. But, God in his wisdom, has restrained us from spending more than one second at a time.

     If we would have friends, we must spend time to make them. Our true friends are truly purchased. Our friends are generally numbered by the amount of time spent in acquiring them.

     If we desire more brethren, we must spend more time, and other assets that are associated with such investments. A man may possess but a very meager amount of material wealth to invest in the saving of souls, but if he will wisely utilize his time in an effort to save souls he may accomplish wonders.

     Extraordinary knowledge must be purchased. It cannot be obtained freely. The greatest cost factor in obtaining it is time. We can wisely invest our precious moments in an effort to obtain wholesome knowledge, or foolishly squander them and remain helpless and ignorant. We may waste our time and then rob another of valuable time in imparting to us information we may desire.

     I presume we all desire a home in heaven. It can only be obtained by a wise investment of time and effort. We cannot squander our time, and go through life effortless, and hope to gain that heavenly home. God certainly knows how

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each of us spends our time. We will either be recognized by the Judge as slothful, or wise servants. It is not enough to just think of ourselves as being servants. We are expected to be "profitable servants."

     Do you agree with Foster, who said, "Time is the greatest of all tyrants. As we go toward age, he taxes our health, limbs, faculties, strength and features"? It is true that many misfortunes may befall us between birth and death, but when misfortune overtakes us why can we not reason as did Paul, who said, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"?

     As we come to our senses we will naturally grieve over time wasted, but we can never recover it. An hour wasted is gone forever. From this hour, let us exercise all the intelligence we can command to "redeem the time" with which God may yet bless us.