As I approach the year 2015, and as I’ve surveyed the articles and blogs across the Internet, I have discovered some great advice and encouragement for making New Year’s resolutions and setting goals for the upcoming year. Hopefully, I will be able to implement some of it as I truly want to be productive in 2015.
But as I think about constructing goals for optimal proficiency for the year 2015, and not wanting to waste one moment that God has given me, I’m reminded of and shocked by Carl Trueman’s words…
One of the amazing things about modern American culture is surely the pathological fear of wasting time.
According to Trueman, we have a phobia that we are not using our time well. And as a result, we are becoming stressed out by our busyness to do all and be all. Bottom line: We are scared of free time and as a result of technology, we have less and less of it. Trueman writes…
Indeed, we have surely lost the virtue that is laziness. As Kierkegaard once said, ‘Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good’ — a truly amazing theological insight. Some may think that that may be going a bit far, but compared to the idea that the essence of humanity is busy-ness, it is much to be preferred.
I don’t think Trueman is against productivity and setting goals, after all, he is a seminary professor. But what I think he is hitting at and what we must take heed to as we approach the new year, is that it’s OK to waste time. In fact, it might be a healthy thing to do.
So though I am thinking through goals to accomplish for this coming year, I’m also planning to waste some time. Who knows? I might even plan on being a little lazy as well. But as I do, I’m reminded that doing so might be a great thing. Especially when I do so with others (most likely my family). For according to Trueman,
Wasting time with a choice friend or two on a regular basis might be the best investment of time you ever make.
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