Writing and Watching Time

by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod

In every class, I had them. Time watchers. 

As I taught the grammar/writing lesson, I watched their eyes dart back and forth like a scared rabbit fleeing from a determined hunter. They looked at me for a few minutes and then at one of my two clocks. The ones who couldn’t tell time by my old-school analog clock hanging on the wall looked at the digital one on my microwave. 

I identified with them. I had been a clock watcher since I was young. The difference was that I wasn’t watching the clock because I lacked interest in the subject matter but because I was attempting to teach them as much as possible in forty-five minutes. I also knew the clock watchers would be the first to ask what they should do when I issued the assignment because they weren’t paying attention. Instead, they thought about their elective classes or lunch rather than the grammar and writing principles I taught. 

So, one night, when insomnia climbed into bed with me, I thought of a way to teach them a lesson. When I arrived in my classroom the following day, I changed the time on both clocks to random times. Sure enough, curious looks soon emanated from the time watchers. 

One student asked, “Did we set the time back last night?” Another asked how much longer before the bell rang. Not thinking, I told her. Since she couldn’t read an analog clock, she memorized where the large hand would be the next day when it was time for the bell. Knowing what she had done, I changed the times again the following day. 

My students expect me to aggravate them—and enjoy my classes because of it. On the other hand, my wife said she would have gone home crying every day had I been her teacher. But my aggravation had a point: Don’t focus so much on the time that you fail to listen and act. 

A similar problem existed in Thessalonica, and Paul addressed it in his second letter to the church folks there. 

“Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business” (2 Thessalonians 3:11 NLT).

They so believed Christ would return at any moment that they stopped working. Instead, they sat around all day, which led to meddling in other people’s business. 

Perhaps they were unfamiliar with the adage, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” So Paul told them to get busy as they waited. My dad was convinced Christ would return during his lifetime, but he did God’s work while waiting. 

As Christian writers, we can easily get caught up in the “what’s the use” attitude, believing our writing won’t change anything or anyone. Or maybe we’re one of the ones Paul corrects. 

I’m still a time watcher, but I don’t sit around while I watch, nor am I idle because I don’t enjoy doing what I’m doing. I love writing and editing—among the other things God has given me to do—and I believe using my gifts makes a difference in others’ lives, one person at a time. I’m time conscious because I want to do as much for God as possible in the time he gives me—something I don’t know. And I also know many things can hinder us writers from doing what God has called us to do. 

Be a time watcher but watch because you anticipate all God will do through you. And in the meantime, remember:

God, family, and others should be first, not our writing.

We must intentionally make time to write.

God will use our writing where he desires.

We write for an audience of One: God.

God can’t do anything with a blank piece of paper.

TWEETABLE

Thoughts on Writing and Watching Time from Martin Wiles, @LinesFromGod, on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Martin Wiles is the founder of Love Lines from God (WWW.LOVELINESFROMGOD.COM) and serves as Managing Editor for Christian Devotions and Directing Editor for VineWords. He has authored six books and has been published in numerous publications. His most recent book, DON'T JUST LIVE...REALLY LIVE, debuted in October of 2021. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, author, and pastor.