Good theology is not merely for theoretical understanding of God’s ways or astute explanations of God’s truth as revealed in Scripture. Although these are involved, good theology is that which enriches practical living and everyday behavior so that God’s truth enables sincere Christian living or, as our Ephesians 5:15–21 passage puts it, enables a wise Christian walk. In addition to being careful, walking wisely includes “making the best use of the time” (v. 16a).
Misuse of time
What are some of the unwise ways we sometimes use time? When someone asks us what we are doing, have you ever heard yourself reply, “Oh, I am just wasting time.” Or maybe saying, “I am just marking time.” The response that says, “I am just killing time,” sounds like the most unwise of all misuses of time. Since our daily lives are bound by time, killing some time is like taking a part of someone’s life — our own. Such responses are often given when we are anticipating something important to occur, while the present pales into insignificance by comparison with what we hope is about to unfold. When we think about it, life is composed of time. Our allotment of time is limited, whether it be measured by decades, years or days. Do we really want to waste the “stuff” of which our lives are made? Is it the way of wisdom to spend our days just marching in place? A wise Christian walk redeems the time, choosing not to waste it. To redeem time means to buy up life’s opportune moments, taking advantage of our days by living and choosing wisely.
Part of the motivation for making wise use of our time is the recognition that “the days are evil” (v. 16b). Encroaching evil dictates we put our allotted time to wise and productive use. Simply coasting in neutral for days or even hours is an unwise way to use up segments of one’s life. Wasting time, of course, is not to be confused with recreational or relaxing time, which can be a wise investment when life becomes hectic or when pressures mount.
Another dimension of walking wisely is that of understanding “what the will of the Lord is” (v. 17). Is it not foolish for a Christian to live out his or her days ignoring God’s will? Given our limited knowledge and God’s complete knowledge, the wisest path to follow is that of His will. Wise Christians through the centuries have posed the same question the apostle Paul asked before he was ever an appointed apostle, missionary traveler, church planter or Scripture writer. In the early moments of his Christian conversion, Paul asked, “Lord what do You want me do?” (Acts 9:6). It’s a wise question for all of us. To live out one’s Christian life without ever becoming serious about the will of the Lord is the height of folly. Whatever God wants any of us to do, we can never come up with a wiser choice on our own.
Best use of time
As the theme of walking wisely continues to unfold in Ephesians 5:15–21, we have to this point noted we walk wisely when we do so carefully, when we make the best use of the time and when we seek to understand what the will of the Lord is. Next time our passage will add even more aspects of living wisely.
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