How many seconds does the average person live? Would you be surprised to know that on average a person who lives 75 years lives 2,365,200,000 seconds?
That sounds like a huge number! By comparison, on average a dog lives 378,432,000 seconds (12 yrs.); a bird lives 189,216,000 (6 yrs); a horse lives 473,040,000 (15 yrs.). The question is, why do we ignore the really important things in life that often require not more than 800 or a 1,000 seconds? Things like prayer, citing a verse of Scripture, singing a song with a child or an elderly person who is alone? When seen in perspective, comparing a 10 or 20 minutes gesture to show kindness to someone, care for someone or encourage someone, it really looks almost ridiculous that we would not share those 1,000 seconds for the good of another person.
Spiritually, our lives are likewise, an investment of small gestures. We take 1,000 seconds to pray for a person struggling and we give a gift of care. We open up God’s Word, the Bible to someone for 2,000 seconds, and shed light on their reality. Investing spiritually in others is the best way to use our seconds.
One more question: how are you investing your spiritual tools, given by God, in the lives of others? Do you “give from grace, as you have received from grace” (Matt. 10:8)? To give to others by serving them is investing in something or someone that you cannot expect a return from. That is a valid and necessary use of your time.

However, the common tendency is to say: “I don’t have time now to show love to others!” Or “I don’t know if my time will be well spent doing that!” We do well to listen to C.S. Lewis on time:
“Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment “as to the Lord.” It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.“*

By the way, you just spent about 300 seconds reading this. A good investment of your time!

David L. Rogers, M.A. Apol.
Santiago, Chile

* Lewis, C. S.. Weight of Glory (Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis) (p. 61). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.