Chris

Time

Who are we giving time to?

Sometimes life feels like a treadmill. We set it to our chosen speed, get on, and rarely get a chance to stop. Sometime we’re so preoccupied with keeping up that it’s easy to forget those on the surrounding treadmills, those who perhaps don’t know how to turn theirs on, or those who can’t run quite as fast. This isn’t the way Jesus lived.

I’ve been challenged these last few weeks whilst being in schools about the value of time. It’s all very well being given a book of instructions, but if no one takes the time to teach you to read – they’re just patterns on a page. So many young people nowadays aren’t given the time to express themselves. They aren’t given the time to explain themselves. They aren’t given the time to just ‘be’. But instead, we hurry past with sight of the finish line and try to at once ‘quieten’ their anger, ‘tell’ them to be confident, ‘make’ them be quiet. Too many people are given too little time.

However, within this, I’ve noticed just how beautiful and life giving it is to be around people who give out their time to listen, and to understand. I’ve seen just how much of an impact it can make, spending a day with teachers at Carr Manor as they patiently pause their own treadmills time and time again to wait (sometimes minutes, sometimes years) and help those who are struggling to get back onto theirs.

Giving of time is not always easy. These people inspire me because they continuously sacrifice themselves on behalf of the children who need that extra bit of help. Yet, more so, they challenge me. At one point in your life, someone like this helped you onto your treadmill; they gave you their time.

Who can you help get back up and running?

Helen