BUYING OUT TIME FOR READING AND STUDY

We Must Set Priorities

In addition to our secular obligations,we have many things of a spiritual nature to attend to. As Jehovah's dedicated servants, we have "plenty to do in the work of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) For this reason, Paul instructed Christians in Philippi to "make sure of the more important things." (Philippians 1:10) This means that priorities have to be set. Spiritual things should always take precedence over material considerations. (Matthew 6:31-33) Yet, balance is also needed in meeting our spiritual obligations. How are we apportioning our time between the various aspects of our Christian life? Traveling overseers report that among "the more important things "that a Christian should take care of, personal study and Bible reading tend to be neglected.

As we have seen, buying out the opportune time involves "making the most of every opportunity" and "turning each to the best advantage." So if our Bible reading and study habits leave much to be desired, it would be good to make a personal analysis to see how our time is spent. If our secular work is overly demanding, consuming too much of our time and energy, we should make it a matter of prayer to Jehovah. (Psalm 5:22) We may be able to make adjustments that would leave us more time for the important things having to do with Jehovah's worship, including study and Bible reading. It has rightly been said that a woman's work is never done. So Christian sisters must also set their priorities and reserve definite periods for Bible reading and serious study.

By and large, most of us can buy out time for study at the expense of nonessential activities. We might ask ourselves, 'How much time do I spend reading secular magazines or newspapers, watching television programs, listening to music, or playing video games? Do I spend more time in front of the computer than I do reading the Bible? Paul says: "Cease becoming unreasonable, but go on perceiving what the will of Jehovah is." (Ephesians 5:17) Unreasonable use of television appears to be a major reason why may Witnesses do not devote sufficient time to personal study and Bible reading. -Psalm 101:3; 119:37, 47, 48.

Some may say that they cannot study all the time, that they need some recreation. While this is true, it might be good to consider the amount of time we spend relaxing and compare it with the time spent actually studying or reading the Bible. The result might be surprising . Recreation and relaxation, while necessary, must be kept in their proper place. Their purpose is to refresh us for renewed spiritual activities. Many television programs and video games leave a person exhausted, whereas reading and studying God's Word is refreshing and invigorating. -Psalm 19:7, 8.

Next time: How Some Make Room for Studying

Watchtower, 2000