Have you ever imagined what you would have done if time was a human being? If you have had a good share of missing appointments, trying to meet up with deadlines, family and friends forgetting your birthday because of time issues, your imaginations might have run wild couple times. Mine did. A lot of times. Mr Time would definitely have been locked up, kidnapped or kept away for the longest time (but we know – time can never be captured). I mean – the frantic feeling provoked by meeting deadlines is never funny. Missing important appointments is dreadful. Family forgetting birthdays due to time issues is appalling. Why am I sharing this? Dear One, you’ll get to know in just a bit.
Before now, I dreaded making mistakes. I really liked to be right. I mean – who doesn’t? When I engaged in the process of learning, I needed to get the results sharp sharp. Prolonged learning and understudying were things I never loved doing. I’d rather choose some other hobby. If me learning was short term, I had no problem with it. I found prolonged learning to be so boring. For instance, there was this time I interned at a Medical Science Laboratory in my home country, the part where I had to observe repeatedly for a length of time was not fun at all. Hearing my then HOD say so often, “Ashley, are you watching what I’m doing?” was plain music to my ears. You know what I mean.
It was just a matter of time, results from mismanaging time and disliking training showed. I learnt my lesson big time. I knew I needed to change my approach to life. Although I was still a Christian at the time, I lacked certain qualities needed to function as light in this dark world. Do you relate with what I’m sharing in anyway?
Things turned when I made two new friends. Please meet them.
TIME AND TRAINING
TIME
Time is the unit of life. How unwise is it for one to hate what makes up one’s life? I was unwise in no small measure. Good thing is – when you know better, and put what you know to work, you do better. No wonder men are advised to work with time, not against time. Literally, working against time means to do something hastily because one has very small amount of time. If you find yourself being in haste, working hurriedly every now and then, it is needful to call yourself to order and ask yourself some questions. What or who triggers the frequent hurrying? What are you possibly doing wrong? What can you do better? What needs to be stopped? Friend, check your relationship with time. Surely, I and time are not best friends. I sure do have my moments. Nevertheless, one insight makes me place great value on time. God is the Creator of time, day and night, moments and seasons. It is only wise to not waste time. Friend, do not waste time. Work with it, not against it. Do not take time for granted thinking you have so much of it. Utilize it. Let’s think about something for a moment. Since we know God is the Creator of time, do we think He created it to work against us or to our advantage? Surely, I know time was created for the good of mankind. We must not see time as a threat but as an asset. I pray God will give us wisdom to use our time wisely in Jesus’s Name. Amen.
TRAINING
Training is a nonnegotiable requirement to be proficient in life. To be experts in our fields, training is a must. We do not arrive at sustainable success in one day. Among other things, it takes time and extensive training. Both training from superiors and self training are important. Beyond just receiving insights in the course of learning, the attitude with which we learn matters a lot. It determines how we grasp and use information at our disposal. In 1976, Bill Gates was taught by Harvard computer science and math professor Harry Lewis. In 2002, Mark Zuckerberg was taught by the same gem. Harris Lewis described Bill Gates’ intense love for puzzles and challenges. He briefly narrated positive contacts with Mark Zuckerberg [Source: Forbes]. Are we surprised about their contribution to the society today? Do not shy away from training. Embrace extensive learning. Yes, it will take time. You will sweat. You will sleep less. Nevertheless, you will surely be blessed. In addition, people will benefit from your expertise.
Are you doing well with time and training already? I celebrate you. Are you a work in progress? We are in the same vehicle. Let’s keep keeping on. Are you currently running behind time + you consider yourself under trained? You can do better regardless where you currently are. You’ve got a will. Prayerfully make the wise decisions you’ve been avoiding to make. Take those steps. You might trip on your way. Do not be dismayed. God is for you, not against you. You will rise, with God. Yes, you will. Until next time.
With Selfless Love,
