Skip to main content

Doing Nothing

In many ways, it’s true that there’s nothing new under the sun!

Take the Athenians, for example, and their goings on about two thousand years ago. The Bible says this about them:  “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” (Acts 17:21)

Sounds a bit like today, doesn’t it.  But, just in case you aren’t convinced, see how other translations describe what they were engaged in and see if it compares to today:

 

  • spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new;

 

  • spent their spare time talking or hearing about the latest intellectual fads;

 

  • looked for opportunities to tell or hear something new and unusual;

 

  • always used their time talking about all the newest ideas;

 

  • spent their time simply and solely in telling and hearing the latest novelty.

 

Is it okay to gather with others and spend time talking?  Of course!  However, you might want to add that it would be good if the conversations are productive and edifying.

But, what if we are spending all of our time, or at least too much of our time, just telling or hearing about something new?  Then the answer is a likely not!  In fact, the Scriptures provide this for clarity:

 

  • “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”  (Eph 5:15-16)

 

And then there’s the issue of what you talk about.  Is it okay to talk about new ideas or to hear about new things?  Yes, for the most part!

But, if these new things are just fads and novelties and we invest lots of time and attention to them, then maybe not!  The Scriptures also provide clarity on that:

 

  • Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. (Jer 6:16)

 

If you combine these two mandates from the Word of God, we need to be careful how we use our time.  And how we use our time, that is, what we focus on, should have less to do with the latest greatest fads and more to do with the tried and true paths which are intrinsically bound up in God and His Word.  In those, we find what’s good for the soul.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Not Just Idle Words

I own a 25 year old car.  The body might be falling apart but the engine runs great and it idles smoothly.  Such idling is good. Idling can also have to do with spending too much time doing nothing or being without purpose or being engaged in that which is pointless.  Such idling is not good. What if I were to tell you that I know of something that is the about as far as being without purpose as you can get?  Would you want it? Here is that something:  “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”  ( Deut 32:47) Other versions of the Bible use some different words for that first phrase in the verse and such can be helpful in assessing how important the words really are: “Not meaningless words…”   “These are not just useless words…”   “No empty word for you…”   “Not unimportant words…”   “Not useless words…”   ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Strengthen Your Core

Supposedly, it’s all about your core! That is, in today’s world of physical fitness, it’s all about strengthening your core.  Your core refers to the group of muscles that support your spine and pelvis, providing stability and enabling movement. It's not just your abs; it includes your back muscles, pelvic floor, and even your diaphragm. When your core is strong, it helps you maintain balance and stability. It can help prevent back injuries and help you maintain better posture. It can also help with athletic performance by allowing for more efficient movement and power transfer. And there are, of course, appropriate exercises to strengthen your core. But there is another kind of core, one that is known as the inner self. The inner self, as described in the Bible, refers to the spiritual and moral part of a person, distinct from the physical body or outer man. And while our physical bodies are important and we certainly feel every ache and pain resulting from injury or even aging, o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Don't Go Knocking or Crossing

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “knock on wood.”  You’ve probably also heard “keep your fingers crossed.”  “Knock on wood” is a common superstition or good luck charm for people to say in the hope of bringing good fortune or to ward off back luck.  Some will actually knock their knuckles on a piece of wood. “Keep your fingers crossed” is also a common superstition or good luck charm people say in the hope that something good will happen.  Some will physically cross their fingers and maybe even encourage you to do the same with them.   There’s sort of an equivalent in the Bible that predates both expressions: Jeremiah 7:4 says:  Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord , the temple of the Lord , the temple of the Lord !”  (Jer 7:4) At that time, people had evidently developed a false sense of security in the invincibility of Jerusalem because God dwelt in the temple in Jerusalem .  They used the expre...
Post a Comment
Read more