Have you ever used the phrase, “Give me a minute” when someone needs you? Completing self-assessments are intriguing to me as they open my eyes not only to the way God created me but also how He created those around me. Perusing the results from a survey known as the Kendall Life Languages Profile, my score stated that I am a high Shaper which uses descriptors such as organized, focused, strategic, efficient, and intentional. Accepting this assessment to be valid, I might also add the characteristic of being task oriented. For example, I’m Martha in the kitchen who wants Jesus to scold Mary for not helping prepare the meal. As a result of this intensity of completing a checklist, there are moments where I become so immersed in a task and its competition that the task holds more importance than the people around me. Rather than viewing an interruption as an opportunity to develop relational equity, it becomes an annoyance to my progress. So, the words out of my mouth might be, “Can you give me a minute?”
Oh, what a blessing it might be if someone could place gently in our hands another minute to our day! How many times do we look through the rearview mirror wishing for a few more minutes in our life? Whether it’s a few more minutes in our favorite relaxing spot, additional time to hit the snooze on our alarm, or added time with a loved one gone too soon from our lives, we all could use one more minute to better our lives. But rarely are we given another minute as our time here on Earth has an expiration date. So, why is it so easy to get wrapped up in completing our tasks rather than slowing down, investing time in others, and helping someone else to flourish?
In this fast-paced world we currently reside, no one ever seems to have enough time, but I challenge us to be better stewards of the time God has given us here on Earth. One of my favorite message series, which is now also a book, is entitled Ask It by Andy Stanley and he shares four observations about the stewardship of our time: (1) investing small amounts of time over time is cumulative (think exercise, healthy eating where one installment is not going to make a difference); (2) neglect is cumulative as well (the easy is usually the costly); (3) random has no cumulative value (what did you do instead of exercise); and (4) in the areas that matter most, you can’t pull an all-nighter. We cannot make up for lost time in relationships, financials, health, or spiritual matters, as it is our most valuable commodity.
“Relationships take time and our society seems to be rushing from one thing to the next, filling a schedule with no room for margin, much less investing in others. All this technology designed to save us time has a negative impact as well.”
So, whether we are seeking to invest relational equity in weak ties or fifth floor relationships, we are required to give more than a minute to others. The minutes we spend at the workplace fulfilling the vocation God has called us to, the hours we devote to recreational activities, and the days we invest in those we love are significant, and we won’t know which specific moments matters most until we are looking at life from the rearview mirror (if ever).
The next time you utter the words, “Give me a minute,” use this moment to ask yourself if you are being obedient to how God desires that we steward our time. Who in your life is a great time steward? Who consistently moves away from their task and towards the person who needs their time? Please share any comments below.
Flourishing @ Life 
I am definitely guilty of this. I often find myself “too busy” to help a friend or loved one in need. I recently led a Bible Study to my baseball team about “Stewarding the gifts God has graciously given us” and I think I can relate that to this blog. We are called to use our gifts to the best of our abilities to honor Him. The Bible Study then went into a conversation of how we should be looking for ways to help others. No matter if it’s the smallest amount of help or big. Helping others is what Christ would do and we don’t need to make excuses of “give me a minute” or “I’m too busy” because that doesn’t embody the body of Christ.
LikeLike
I feel like in today’s world this is a commonly used phrase that most if not all people are guilty of at some point in their life. If a family member or a friend of mine ever comes to me asking for help i feel like i wouldn’t hesitate to help. One of my strongest characteristics is that i always put others before myself, which sometimes isn’t the greatest but that’s just how i am and i wouldn’t change that. I have definitely used the phrase “Give me a Minute” sometimes in life you just have so many things going on and maybe you are trying to help out multiple people or just have so many things to get done. Your duty as a christian is to live your life through Christ and Christ would drop everything to help others and that’s what i believe we all should do. That extra minute of the day would make a difference, but you just have to do everything you can in the time you have, and if you do that than in reality you won’t need that extra minute even though you might feel as if you do.
LikeLike
I think that this phrase has been used by everyone at least once in their life. in life, sometimes it is easier to refuse or say you are busy when someone is in need, but it not the right thing to do. I admit at one point this was my mindset this and if a friend asked me for something I would say give us a minute or I’m too busy. in the bible, Jesus was known for his kindness and helped anyone who needed assistance with problems. Even when people deemed unsuitable for society, Jesus still made the persons problems his problems. this is the model we need to follow in life and help anyone who needs our assistance.
LikeLike
This past Sunday the sermon I listened to what about investing your time into eternity. It goes along with this this post very well. It asked the question, “Are you investing your time with Jesus or wasting your time?” Sometimes I find myself way too busy to even think, and I find myself too busy to read my Bible, or I am “too tired.” This is what your post is talking about. Sometimes we find ourselves too busy to invest our time in someone or something other than ourselves. When we should be trying to be loving and unselfish like Christ. Helping others is what we are supposed to do as Christians, it is one of the ways that we can glorify Christ.
LikeLike
I feel like in today’s world time is one of the biggest things people give out and receive because once it’s gone you can’t get your time back. I also feel like people say give me a minute because they be doing stuff their selfs but you shouldn’t be a mean person if someone needs yours help because you never know when you will need that persons help or want them to do something for you. I also feel that growing up and just living and learning taught me that being on time and really valuing people time is a big part of life because you never know when someone can leave this earth and I had to learn that the hard way.
LikeLike
I feel like everyone is says or have said that comment but someone big with me is time because you can’t get it back once its gone and I feel like I had to learn that the hard way just living every day life and just listening to other people stories of their lives and things they wish they would’ve took more serious or put more time into. I also feel like people seriously be doing stuff when they say give me a min if that person tells you that I feel like they going to help but in all taking your time serious is the biggest thing because you can’t get it back once its gone.
LikeLike
This was are really good post and something I think about often. These phases of “give me a minute” or “can I talk to you later” are really saying to a person “I do not have time for you. My work/homework/phone is more important than you are this time.” I am really thankful that my God does not adopt this same type of attitude but instead is always there for me. When I was reading this post, I kept thinking about my friend Addy who is always willing to be there for me when I need her. I need to be more like her and my God who are always ready to be there for me. By doing this, I am being a better friend and a better representation of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
LikeLike
This was are really good post and something I think about often. These phases of “give me a minute” or “can I talk to you later” are really saying to a person “I do not have time for you. My work/homework/phone is more important than you are this time.” I am really thankful that my God does not adopt this same type of attitude but instead is always there for me. When I was reading this post, I kept thinking about my friend Addy who is always willing to be there for me when I need her. I need to be more like her and my God who are always ready to be there for me. By doing this, I am being a better friend and a better representation of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
LikeLike
While reading “Give Me a Minute” by Julie Powell, I realized how real this applies to my life. When I think of the phrase above I think that person wants to fully engage in what I want to say to them but they want to give me their full attention. In this world, we can get lost and not listen to someone when they are trying to speak to you because you are so focused on the worldly things to recognize what is in front of you. This encouraged me to think about the relationships I have with people and make sure to take the time to reflect on myself and the interactions I make with people on how to invest in their life.
LikeLike
Pingback: Martha, Martha, Martha! – Flourishing @ Life