By Johnny Walker
The older I get the more the phrase “redeem the time” makes sense to me. If I don’t take charge and plan to so something suddenly the time will be gone. This is especially true where my children are concerned.
In scripture there are two places where the word “redeem” and “time” are used in the same sentence. Both Ephesians 5:26 and Colossians 4:5 tell us to redeem the time. The Greek word used in both verses means “to ransom, to buy up or to rescue.”
Typically, when we hear the word ransom we imagine a person being kidnapped and held until someone pays them the money. A ransom is the price we pay to get back something of value.
According to these verses we are to view the time we have as so precious that we consider it something so valuable that we would be willing to buy it up or pay a high price for it!
Both these verses tell us not to waste time, but treat the time we have as valuable so we can minister to others. As a parent I need to be redeeming the time for my children before I redeem it for anyone else!
The other day John Mark said, “Lets go play putt-putt!” He was bored and looking for something to do. With our money situation it would have been so easy for me to say, “We can’t do that!” In fact, that is exactly what I said! But then I started thinking, “how much longer is my fourteen year old going to look to me to spend his spare time with?”
I redeemed the time; I bought it! It cost me twenty bucks, but that was a cheap ransom for the memory that we built and the fun we had! We tied at putt-putt, I beat him in air hockey and he beat me at skee-ball!
It’s harder for me to redeem time with Ann Marie. She doesn’t have the same interests as me, she’s also older and she usually looks to her friends to fill the voids during her day. She will typically text a friend when she’s bored before thinking to come to me to do something.
The other day an opportunity to be a part of a community choir came up. I enjoy singing, but I just didn’t have the time. Between counseling in the evenings, kid’s ball games and tennis matches there just isn’t much time left. I was tempted to walk away from the invitation when I thought of Ann Marie; she loves to sing. The ransom I paid to redeem the time with Ann Marie was about a hundred dollars and every Monday night for two months. It cost me a bit more money and time, but I bought three to four hours once a week with my daughter for two months! I paid a hundred dollars for something that is worth thousands!
Redeeming time is costly. It usually costs us time and money. As a parent it is so important that we view the opportunities we have to spend time with our children as valuable. Before we know it they will be grown up and living their own separate lives. If we don’t see that time as valuable then when the opportunity comes we won’t be willing to pay the ransom!
Look for opportunities this week to redeem time with your child. It will cost you some time and probably a little money, but I promise it will be worth much more than you paid!
Johnny Walker is a Christian Counselor and the founder of Family Works Counseling.
