“The sixth habit — wind the clock — stewards time in two ways. It makes the most of every minute, but it also makes the most of every moment. It’s acutely aware of everything that is happening right here, right now. It also keeps an eye on eternity. Most importantly, it doesn’t lose faith in the end of the story.”- Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson introduces Habit 6 – Wind the Clock with a story about one of the oldest pieces of art in the United States. The Car of History clock, made and built by Simon Willard in 1837, greets guests as they enter Statuary Hall. Clio, the Muse of History, stands above the clock. She records events as they unfold in the book she’s holding. And, this analog clock displays past, present, and future time.
While the arrow of time moves in one direction for us, God’s omnipresent. He’s here, there, and everywhere. And He’s present yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Hence, in Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper warred against what C. S. Lewis called ‘chronological snobbery’:
“Newness is no virtue and oldness is no vice. Truth and beauty and goodness are not determined by when they exist. Nothing is inferior for being old, and nothing is valuable for being modern. This has freed me from the tyranny of novelty and opened for me the wisdom of the ages.”
Therefore, Pastor Batterson stresses, a right relationship with time means, first and foremost, that we recognize this concept. While minutes measure time, we measure life in moments.
In conclusion, Mark notes, the ancient Greeks used two words for time, chronos and kairos. Chronos is sequential and quantitative — clock time. And it’s incredibly important to manage chronos, or clock, time.
In contrast, kairos makes the most of every opportunity, functions as a sixth sense that perceives the Holy Spirit’s promptings, and discerns holy moments. It involves enjoying the journey.
Today’s question: How do you wind the clock to steward your time? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Persistence hunting = goal setting”
