Giving Undeserved Time

Listen to the message!

• Time is one of the most valuable resources that God has given to us. The time that we have is not given to us because we deserve it, but the time is given to us so that we may give it to others. And so often, it is difficult to give time to others because so many seemingly are undeserving of our time. But that is exactly the point of giving the undeserved time given to us, that we may be instruments of God to patiently minister to others and preach His Word.
• The encouragement Paul gives to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 is to preach the Word in every season with great patience. This patience Paul mentions is the idea of long suffering: bearing with others though undeserved to give them what they need, not what they want. A poignant quote from this lesson is “patience is giving people the time that they don’t deserve, but need in order to grow.” People need the truth so that they may repent of their sins and come to salvation, or that they may recognize their backsliding and turn away from it. And you, being God’s instrument in their lives, is to recognize that you must be patient with others as you minister to them, because patience is the “workbench” in which you use the tools of God’s Word.
• Then, being patient, or giving our undeserved time to undeserved people is not an easy task for us. If we are to have an attitude of cultivating God’s Word in other people’s lives, we must recognize that cultivating takes time and effort. Cultivating takes blood, sweat, and tears. You must recognize that cultivating God’s Word is putting in present effort for future fruit. And even in the face of no visible fruit, you are to continue to cultivate the truth in the lives of those around you. Do not lose heart or be discouraged! What is paired with cultivation is the hope of future fruit, the hope that God will work as He pleases. Expect that God will work in the lives of people you are ministering!
• Understand that you are dealing with tough people as a minister of God. Yes, it is easy to identify the sin in people, but it is difficult to be patient with others and cultivate growth in them. Think about this: how many years did God show you patience before you repented? How many long years of sinfulness did you have before the gospel penetrated the rocky soil of your heart? So, develop a heart of patience for others, knowing that God is first patient with you.

Application Questions

• We are undeserving of time first and foremost, so think about your salvation and how God has been patient toward you.
• We are ministers of the gospel and instruments of God’s grace, so how do you view the undeserved time given to you by God?
• How can you develop a heart of patience and mindset of cultivating God’s Word in others?

Here are a few practical items to work on!

• Write down ways that you are not patient (for example: when others make mistakes even though they have been told, or they make repeated decisions that are bad, or they speak too long and are not thoughtful with their words). Next to each way you are not patient, write down how God is pleased in each of those ways. Recognizing how God views things will help you develop a heart of patience.
• Make a list of people that you consider to be undeserving of your time and patience. Next to their names, write down a truth that they need to hear, then think about how you can give that truth to them. This is a step in developing a mindset of cultivation!

Family Man

• People in the world are constantly looking for happiness in life, from finding the right job to having a good family life. Even if they think they have their dream life, without the Lord, it is ultimately not real happiness, because as Psalm 128:1-3 says:
  • How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord
    Who walks in His ways.
    When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands,
    You will be happy and it will be well with you.
    Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
    Within your house,
    Your children like olive plants
    Around your table.
• True happiness begins in us, for us to fear God. Not a fear that drives us away from Him, but a fear that causes us to live in light of who He is. He is the eternal, holy God, and that should produce in us a response of reverence and awe that drives everything that we do, to live our lives with seriousness and gravity in a manner that is worthy of our calling as Christian men. This should and will affect every area of our lives, as the Psalm goes into work and marriage in verses 2-3. Everything we do starts with the right knowledge and understanding of God, and we ought to work knowing that we are working for God, and to lead our families in greater holiness because of who God is. It all starts with us and our fear of the Lord, so consider if you are living in such a manner and pursue true happiness in life!

Listen to the message!

Application Questions

• In what areas of your life do you think you are not living all out for the Lord?
• How can you grow in your fear of the Lord so that you can have true happiness in all areas of your life?

Here are a few practical items to work on!

• Keep a log of your thoughts of the Lord throughout the day. Did you give thanks to Him at all during school/work? Did you only think about Him when you pray during meal times? Was your first thought of the day praising Him for giving you another day to worship Him? Make a log for one day, and see what areas you are lacking in your meditations of Him and His word.
• How is your leadership in the home? Are you thinking about your wife’s holiness, and how you can build her up? Are you teaching your children so that they may know and see God through your example? Even if you aren’t married, you are still called to be a leader in every area! Are you thinking about your brothers and how you can pour into their lives?
  • Come up with a plan for how you want to lead your family (family worship plan, things to teach your children, areas you can be building your wife in), or if you are single, a plan to build and care for another brother!