Every day of our lives we are faced with a question. What will we do today with our time? We only have so much – there is no way to gain more or multiply it. Like money from our paycheck, we will spend our time in some way, but what way?

If you watched this Tuesday’s video (you can view it HERE), you will recall me telling you about stopping on my walks to talk to neighbors. In doing so I must confess, I often experience ambivalence when the opportunity arises to talk or keep on with my walk. I experience further ambivalence the longer I stay in the conversation – do I continue to engage or seek a way to wind it down so I can get back on my walk?

Just. Being. Honest.

You might experience the same.

Do you linger at the dinner table a little longer to listen to your children chatter or your spouse share about their day? Or do you excuse yourself as quickly as you can to get back to that project? Or, do you even take time to eat together with the family at all?

Do you say hi to your neighbor when going in and out of the house or quickly dash inside so you don’t have to talk?

Do you hurry out of church?

Do you look at the cashier and even wonder how they are doing?

Do you take walks, hold someone’s hand, or sit to enjoy and/or offer your presence with someone who may not have as much of a sense of purpose or love in their life as you might have?

I could go on and on with questions like these which often come to mind and stop me in my tracks.

To be sure, we can’t always spend the amount of time we would like to with someone or the amount of time they would like us to with them. There ARE projects or other needs to which we must attend. Again, there is only so much available time on any given day.

The challenge I face, and the challenge I give to you is this:

How often do you stop and look around at the faces you see and ask yourself what is most important right here and now? To get on with my agenda? Or to perhaps deviate from that even if it is for just a short bit to bring a little encouragement or hope to someone through your presence and your time?

Ok – that is all the time I have now for this post. Trust me though when I say, as I write this, I linger with you in the challenge. What helps me most when I am not sure which way to go, is the value and realization I have come to believe in life – that there is nothing more important in life than relationships!

Who will you spend more time with this week as a result of reading this? Leave a comment below!

Mark Oelze, Author/Creator of PLEDGEtalk