In Matthew 12.36 Jesus warned that we would give account of “every idle word” in the Day of Judgment. In other words, I will someday have to stand in front of God and explain to Him why I chose to do what I did with my time.
But what exactly are idle words, or idle uses of time? Think of it this way: What is your car doing when it is idling? It is wasting energy. It’s consuming resources without producing anything. It is not achieving it’s full potential. It is not really doing what its maker created it to do.
Along with that, I think it would be safe to safe to say we will also give an account of every idle silence when we should have been giving useful words but didn’t.
The coming judgment is a fearful thought for those whose days are spent in idleness. But the judgment can become an anticipated time of reward for those who are right with God and who choose to redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.
