As I think of singleness, one of the things that I sometimes allow to frustrate me is the GREAT TIME WARP. You know, since I am single, surely I must have time on my hands to complete or participate in all of the varied projects that arise, right…?

You may be involved with many ministries at your local church already. That list could include bus ministries, choir, nursery, office staff, orchestra, Sunday school, youth work, etc. I am sure you can add just as many other responsibilities to this list. We truly seem to be a busy people. Let me ask you this. If you have ever been approached with the "Would you be willing to…?" question, was the first thought running through your mind, "Okay, how do I get out of this one?" Personally, I find it difficult to say "no". And yes, there are times when it is all right to say "no". You cannot commit yourself to so many responsibilities that God is not honored by the outcome.

Hey, wait! You mean I can do something for the Lord, and He might not be pleased with it? One example is that of Cain found in Genesis 4. He gave an offering to the Lord, as he should have; but his heart attitude was wrong, and the Lord was displeased. Don't we sometimes do that? It is so easy to feel like "I have to do something and so I will". In other words, our heart attitude is begrudging and not that of a "cheerful giver" of the time God has allowed us. God wants us to be willing servants though. Another reason that the Lord might not be honored through my work is because my time is too divided which can result in a poor product. I believe that is what happened in Acts when the widows were being neglected. Next, the Lord cannot work through me when I am walking in the flesh (Romans 8:1-16; Galatians 6:8). I cannot have the mind of God or His blessing upon what I am doing if I am doing if I am not Spirit-controlled. God then calls my work "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

When I first began teaching, I struggled with all the demands upon my time. As a new teacher responsible for multiple grades and just learning how to be a teacher, I often felt pressured, overwhelmed, and unsure of everything. I had the impression that I was expected to do everything and be at every event. As I began my work in this ministry, my thought was that God had called me to teach school and that should be my main focus. However, I did not believe I could do that properly when I had those added responsibilities, and I did not feel like I could refuse any "request" for my time. One example of an extra demand upon my time was prayer meetings before and during evangelistic meetings. Those meetings consumed time I felt I should instead spend grading papers, preparing lessons, working on my classroom, or enjoying the little free time I had. I argued within myself that the prayer meeting really was something I would want to do, if I didn't feel like I was being forced to do it. In all actuality, an extra prayer meeting is something I should be hungering and happy to do if my attitude before God is right. Clearly my focus was wrong.

Now that is only one example, but there are others. I was asked to help prepare meals for visiting missionaries, baby-sit for church families, participate in Sunday school skits, do extra nursery duty, and disciple a young Christian. Those "requests" which I looked at as an infringement upon my time were occasions for service. Many of those tasks I did perform, but the majority of them were nothing but wood, hay, and stubble before God (1 Cor. 3:9-15) because my heart attitude was wrong. My Savior was offering me opportunities of service, but I was lost in the "I-Land" of my time, my projects, and my priorities.

God has brought me to this ministry to teach, but if my whole goal is to get through a textbook, complete all my projects, and do this or that with my students, then the students God has entrusted to me may as well be in another school. What is Christian education if not the discipleship of people? Take a look at Jesus' earthly ministry. Simply, it was people. The Lord was teaching, training, nurturing, admonishing, and encouraging people to be servants to those around them. It is absolutely impossible for me to effectively teach about being like Christ, a servant, if I am not one. Paul had a good grasp on this concept. He spoke in Philippians 2:9-11 of our Lord Jesus who became a servant for us. Many of the letters Paul wrote to the bodies of believers begin with the phrase "Paul, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ." Not only did he remind us that our Lord displayed a servant's heart and admonished us to be servants, but Paul himself was truly a bondservant of Christ.

So what about all those intrusions upon my time? As I walk into the school/church building each morning I am reminded that I am holding "Keys to Opportunities". These opportunities are not usually grand or glorious. In my mind, they are often interruptions or situations I would rather not have occur or willingly place myself into, but they are the opportunities of service that the Lord is giving me.

As a single, I still have a home to take care of, food to cook, errands to run, laundry to do, family to spend time with, and other commitments to carry out. However, I am not as tied to a schedule as I would be if I had a family. I can spend long hours on a project or make last minute plans and not worry about the neglect of family duties. I can pack a bag and spend a day or two with family and friends helping them or just fellowshipping with them. There have been opportunity gifts given to me by God that someone with a family could not have had. On the other hand, there are areas of service not available to me as a single. God gives to each of us different chances to serve Him, in different avenues, and requiring different qualifications.

Do singles have more time? Not necessarily. There are only twenty-four hours in a day whether a person is married or single. However, my attitude toward service will dictate how my time is spent and my opinion about that time. I should be praying for chances to serve God, instead of shrinking from them, and asking God to order my path and days.

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