Sabi ni Victor Hugo, author ng Les Misérables:
Short as life is, we make it still shorter by the careless waste of time.
In other words, maikli na nga ang buhay, mas pinapaikli pa natin.
Paano?
Sa ating walang bahalang, walang pakialam at walang ingat na pag-aaksaya ng oras.
Higit na ngayon na most of us ay under community quarantine, lalo pa’t in-extend ito hanggang April 30.
It is very easy for us who are at home to waste our time sa mga bagay na wala namang kabuluhan.
So what are things na may kabuluhan?
How can you spend your time wisely in this season?
How do you make the most of your day?
Let us take a cue from a wise man named Jim Elliot.
He once said:
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
Hindi tanga ang ipinamimigay ang mga bagay na mawawala rin naman sa kanya upang mapasakanya ang mga bagay na hindi niya kailanman maiwawala.
We can never keep our time.
Time is something na palagi nating mauubos.
That’s why kung ilalaan natin ito sa mga bagay na nagla-last ang value, masasabi natin na naging wais tayo sa pag-spend ng ating oras.
That way, we do not shorten our already short lives.
So how?
What are some ways we could do to make the most of our 24 hours each day?
Here are three:
1) Hunt for a Golden Nugget
I am not saying na somewhere sa bahay niyo nakalibing ang legendary Yamashita treasure.
What I am referring to as golden is a new learning or insight.
It can be as deep as the sovereignty of God, or as practical as how to grow kamote sa maliit mong tahanan, or as trivial as anong oras naliligo ang nanay mo at ano ang pampalipas oras ng kapatid mo.
There is always something novel to wonder at every day if we only take pains to observe.
Kaya nga hunt.
Kasi it would require your energy.
Ang mga real-life treasure hunters would waste their time, money and lives just to unearth buried wealth.
I say waste, kasi, earthly riches are something no one can keep so it is wrong to invest your whole life running after it.
Still, the fact remains that anything worth it needs effort on your part.
Sometimes, even sacrifice.
Learning something new each day is like that.
Opening your eyes to observe and make new discoveries requires intention and determination on your part.
But this is one way to make the most of your day.
And mas magbe-benefit ka if you record it.
Jot it down. Make a meme.
Record via Tiktok.
There are many ways to document your daily golden nugget.
And when a different season comes your way, may babalik-balikan kang mga alaala kung paano mo minaximize ang mga nakalipas na araw ng iyong buhay.
Someone once said:
The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.
So maximize today by investing your time finding your precious insight of the day.
2) Add Value to Somebody
Souls of men last forever.
Our bodies may perish and decay but our souls will live on.
Kaya, it is wise to invest your time loving someone.
Hep!
Bago mo i-flex yang ninja-marupok muscles mo, hindi romantic feelings ang pinag-uusapan dito.
LOVE.
Love is the act of wanting and giving what is best for someone.
Mahal mo siya kapag gusto mo kung ano ang best para sa kanya.
Plus, you are doing what you can para mailagay siya sa mabuti.
Ang magandang i-flex mo dito, every day, ay ang observing and thinking skills mo.
Lalo pa’t malamang nasa bahay ka lang ngayon.
Baka nagkaka-gulo na kayo diyan.
Isip-isip din.
What can I do to help improve the lives of these people I live with?
How can I help them?
Better if you use your brain cells to think:
How can I add value to my community?
What ways ang pwede kong i-explore para mas mapabuti ang kapwa tao ko physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually?
Spending time thinking about these and acting on your brilliant ideas are impressive ways to make the most of your day.
It is investing your fleeting time on eternal souls.
Hindi aksaya ng panahon kasi your investment will produce lasting results.
3) Know God By Reading His Word
If there are two more “things”, pardon for the unsuitable term, that last forever, these are God’s Word in the Bible and God Himself.
God is the Creator, Sustainer and Judge of the creation.
He is eternal.
So if there is ONE thing you must do every day, to ensure na you are making the most of your time, it is to know God.
In fact, Jesus Christ Himself said:
this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent
He wants you to know Him kaya He gave us the Bible.
It contains His words.
Kapag binasa mo ito, malalaman mo ang character Niya.
Paano Siya magmahal?
Ano ang nagpapagalit sa Kanya?
Ano ang tingin Niya sa iyo?
Ito ang pinaka-hindi sayang na gawin araw-araw.
Nung wala pa itong community quarantine, marami ka pang pwedeng excuse sa hindi pagbasa ng Bible.
‘Tas ngayong andami mo ng time, pa-iiralin mo pa rin ba iyang katamaran mo?
Mas pipiliin mo pa bang hindi umandar ang utak mo, which is precisely what happens when you waste your day just watching Netflix or scrolling thru Facebook?
Alam mo ba na sabi sa Isaiah 5:13
Therefore My people go into exile for lack of knowledge
Meron pang mas matindi sa Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
Now that we seem to be in exile, we have every reason to gain knowledge about God by reading and studying His Word.
The book of John in the New Testament is a good place to start.
Also Romans.
O, ‘diba?
Sounds like pa ng romance na inaasam-asam mo.
Pananampal aside, the book of Romans is really a book on how The Lord loves you.
It is about His unconditional love for you and how you can enjoy it.
And when you read the Bible each day to know God, to know The Lord Jesus and you allow your discoveries to change your life, you are not wasting your time.
You aren’t cutting short your already brief life.
In fact, you are lengthening it.
You are letting yourself enjoy eternal life, each day, regardless of the season you are in.
