What in particular do we need to pay attention to? First, self-control. Self-control is our desire within the family, when our spirit is at its most relaxed and off-guard. Self-control in place of employment, in place of study, among the young where perhaps fellow young people where conduct can be free and uninhibited. We pray for it and we will be given it; it is a fruit of the Spirit. Do we given vent to unworthy passions within the family, with petty annoyances and aggravations that certainly do not merit the response that we may be capable of? Then, integrity. All excuses are out, all white lies. If the unbeliever sees a lack of integrity in the believer, there is no testimony, there is no respect. Something quite different is helpfulness. Are we helpful people? Do we come alongside or to the aid when others are in difficulty in employment or they are overrun with burdens? Not interfering, but helpful. Number four, humility. That is another disaster to lose humility. Do we show off? Are we proud? Humility is vital. Purity of course. In some of the talk and the conversation and the interests that abound, purity is all important. Then finally I will mention wisdom, taken literally, or maturity. Do we show that? Every day, every hour of every day you are laying a foundation for witness and we never forget it. George Goodman who was well-known as a solicitor turned preacher. When he was a young man, he found himself for the first time in a busy office, but when he went forth that morning, his prayer was: ‘Oh Lord, let them know I am a Christian.’
Time is ruined by the hours that I might spend in discontent and complaint and regretting things. Save it, turn it into thanksgiving, turn it into prayer. If times are hard and circumstances are difficult, we pray our way out. Time is wasted with self-concern. Similarly, life is full of distractions. If only we knew it, they are orchestrated by Satan or by one of his minions, suggesting this, suggesting that, constantly making one thing after another attractive to us. People are pinned to the television, absorbing hours of fiction, not even something instructive or constructive or useful. Then also, the time of fellowship may be wasted by empty talk. We can talk about anything and many light things too and lift our spirits; we can talk about many secular things, but we want balance. We do not want it to be all just meaningless and without profit. Redeeming the time means improving something. Eternal things possibly may be accomplished. Ten minutes, an hour purchased, redeemed – what for? Witness perhaps – a soul saved for all eternity, millions of years have come out of that hour or that half hour or that ten minutes. I may suffer an illness, a broken leg, or something more serious, perhaps for weeks. Is it lost time? Not for the Christian. What we can do with that time in catching up on reading and prayer and intercession and planning? Paul is in prison – is it a waste of time? No, out of the one imprisonment comes the letters to the Ephesians, the letter to the Philippians, the letter to the Colossians, the letter to Philemon. Out of another comes 2 Timothy – literature that has lasted for centuries, which is mightily used of God.
Where is our reading? It has been said, believers should always have a book on the go, something profitable, and yet sometimes we can say to someone, ‘What are you reading?’ ‘Oh, I have not read anything for ages.’ That is so very sad. Satan is watching all the time to steal your time. He will use any kind of means to steal it. Some people who are more creative or more imaginative than others. Satan will get a scheme going in your mind, something on which you are going to spend far too much time and thought. It is not necessarily an unworthy thing, but he wants to get you emersed in something which is really not that important.