Some people like to tell others what to do,
how to spend their time or energies
People cast judgment on others’ interests,
even their personality in some instances.
Sports is an example
Seems like a waste of time to some,
time that could be used for more important things like God,
bible reading, studying, praying.
Excessive, wasteful use of time, watching people run around a field or a court.
While there are no examples of Spectator Sports in the Bible,
the same way as there are for politics,
just imagine if the warriors,
who were most likely spectators themselves,
had not trained,
or had not been interested in learning how to use slings or use swords.
What you spend your time on creates skill and precision.
Using our talents make us better for whatever it is we use them.
If you’ve studied art, you no doubt have seen biblical images,
some from several centuries ago.
Those could have been considered a waste of time
at the time of their making,
for people to spend hours and days
and even years on painting or sculpting images.
Without those images showing how people dressed and what they looked like,
what their surroundings were,
we might not have a good way to imagine some of the stories of the Bible.
In our present day, it is easy to see how interests,
such as an interest in sports, cooking, gardening, biking,
or anything really could be used for godly reasons.
Reaching out to people, comradery,
an outlet for emotions
and who knows how God could use the situation for His purpose
of witnessing, ministry, and a host of other reasons.
Any particular interest could be turned into a ministry of sorts,
if the person involved is interested in dedicating their efforts to the Lord.
Praying for those they know, allowing the Lord to be honored in their lives,
being a good example and letting others see
the work that God has done in their lives.
Another example is politics
Some Christians have decided that engaging in politics is not godly,
nor does spending time on politics please God.
The scripture I have heard quoted most often
by those who are against Christians engaging in politics is this:
And Jesus answering said unto them,
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,
and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him. Mark 12:16
Mordecai was involved in politics.
His eyes were wide open.
He knew what the evil plans for the Jews would be
if there was not an intervention to the enemy’s devices.
From the Book of Esther, it is also easy to see
how God set up people in the kingdom
that could influence and stop the planned destruction of the Jews.
It is in this book that Esther was afraid and Mordecai said,
you were put in this position for such a time as this:
For if you remain completely silent at this time,
relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place,
but you and your father’s house will perish.
Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14
We see the miracle of fasting and humbling themselves before the Lord
so that God would have mercy and hear their cry.
Jews in the whole kingdom cried out.
The Lord heard them and turned all things together for good for the Jews.
Esther’s courageous effort of going before the King uninvited,
was part of the plan knowing the Lord heard them
and hoping the King would favor her.
Politics and current events are often focused on by some Christians,
but are considered by others as wasteful of time.
Those whose lives are in causes that promote the gospel,
life and many issues the bible addresses
show how important it is for Christians to not remain silent
and to speak out and do or say whatsoever they feel compelled to do or say
by the Lord, not by other humans.
There are godly people God has placed in political positions.
Each person will answer to God.
Let us not decide what is important to God
and dissuade anyone from doing what they feel is important to do.
He who is not against us is with us.
in Luke 9:50 But Jesus said to him,
“Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”
In the end, we will not stand before any fellow Christians, but God Himself.
There are many areas where Christians tell other Christians what to do
or in their super spirituality or a holier than thou attitude
that would decide how another should do something,
or pick and choose what someone else
should or shouldn’t spend their time on.
Whether interests are music, finances, politics
or a host of other things that may seem unimportant to some,
we should not try to control what one person may spend their time on.
We do not know the end result.
This is up to God and it is before God they rise or fall.
It is not up to any one to decide what someone else might feel led to do.
Mordecai would not have been able to do what he did for the Jewish people
if he had not been interested in current events.
Let’s keep a hands-off approach of other people and their interests.
How they spend their time is between them and the Lord
and is not up to anyone else to say how God may work in someone else’s life,
nor can any of us know the ripple effects of those efforts.