Make the Best Use of Time, the Days Are Evil

Make the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:16-17 (NIV)

As a Christian, the current events around me—whether it’s the increasingly oppressive faith environment or the sensational and unjust case like ‘Chengdu No. 49 High School tragedy’—have subconsciously plunged me into a state of anger, disappointment, sorrow, panic, and confusion.

Five or six years ago, even though the world was filled with all sorts of lawlessness, injustice, absurdity, and tense moments, I felt at ease, perhaps because I was blissfully unaware of these things back then.

Now, even with my limited understanding of the world, I feel like I’m directly involved in these circumstances, like I’m moving in the ‘flow of history.’

The past few weekends, I watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy with my kids. When evil arrives, is there any place that can remain an isolated paradise? The Shire? The Elven Kingdom? No. Is there any race that can stay out of it? No! Even the Ents had to rise up and fight.

This morning, I woke up ready to start a muddled day in a low state of life and stumbled across an article. The verse, “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” from Ephesians 5:16, caught my attention.

Indeed, the present age is evil. The evil that we can see and feel comes from people, whether humble folks or those with high status and power. However, the root of evil, the greatest evil, is Satan. The greatest battle is the spiritual warfare unseen by human eyes.

People often say life is short, make the best use of time. The Bible tells me because the days are evil. The English Bible makes it clearer: making the best use of the time.

I believe the best use of time, as Ephesians 5:17 says, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Align your direction, seek God’s heart, and live in His will.

On a daily level, this means stopping the endless scrolling through social media like Weibo, Twitter, Instagram, Zhihu, and not wasting time there.

Dedicate necessary, fixed time to family worship, helping the kids know God, especially in these extraordinary times.