Day 2 Reflections from an Amish Devotional

One of the reasons I enjoy reading outside of my own theological circles is because it forces me to slow down and pay attention. Sometimes I find myself agreeing. Sometimes I disagree. Other times I’m simply surprised by what someone chooses to emphasize.

That was my experience on the second day of reading through an Amish devotional.

The passages for the day were Ephesians 5:15-33 and James 4:14.

If you’re familiar with Ephesians 5, you probably know where many Bible studies immediately go. They skip ahead to the section on husbands and wives, particularly Paul’s instruction that wives submit to their husbands. Entire books, conferences, and denominational statements have been built around those verses.

Given the Amish tradition and its conservative understanding of gender roles, I assumed that’s where this devotional would spend most of its time.

It didn’t.

Instead, the author focused almost entirely on Ephesians 5:15-21, particularly Paul’s command:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

The devotional paired that with James’ reminder:

“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14)

The discussion centered on something we rarely think about:

What do we do with our idle time?

Character Is Revealed in the Quiet Moments

The devotional ended with a quote that has stayed with me:

“A man’s character is revealed by what he does when he has nothing to do.”

That’s an uncomfortable thought. It’s easy to appear productive when deadlines are looming, responsibilities are piling up, and people are watching. But what happens when no one needs anything from us?

What do we naturally drift toward? What occupies our minds? What captures our attention?

Those moments often reveal who we really are far more than the moments when we’re performing for everyone else.

A Moment That Will Never Exist Again

As I reflected on those passages, another thought began forming: we have never experienced this exact moment before and we never will again. Not once.

There may be moments that resemble this one, but this precise collection of circumstances, conversations, opportunities, thoughts, relationships, and seconds on the clock will never be recreated.

The present is astonishingly fragile.

Every second disappears into history the instant we experience it.

James understood this reality when he described life as a vapor. We often read that verse only in the context of death, but perhaps it speaks just as powerfully about time itself. Every passing moment is like breath on a cold morning.

Visible for an instant. Gone before you realize it.

Is “Live Like It’s Your Last Day” Enough?

You’ve probably heard the phrase: “Live every day like it’s your last.”

There’s certainly wisdom in that sentiment. None of us knows whether tomorrow will come. But I’ve begun wondering whether that mindset unintentionally narrows our perspective. If today were literally my last day, I probably wouldn’t mow the lawn. I wouldn’t plant a tree. I wouldn’t save for retirement. I wouldn’t spend time learning a new skill.

Many of the ordinary, faithful responsibilities of life would suddenly seem unnecessary.

Yet Scripture doesn’t call us to abandon ordinary faithfulness because tomorrow is uncertain. Instead, it repeatedly calls us to be faithful today.

Perhaps a better mindset is this:

Live every moment as though it is a priceless treasure entrusted to you by God.

That changes everything. Treasure isn’t something you waste. It isn’t something you casually throw away. It’s something you steward carefully.

Redeeming the Time

Paul’s instruction in Ephesians isn’t merely to stay busy. Our culture already knows how to stay busy. We fill calendars. We answer emails. We scroll endlessly. We binge-watch entire seasons of television. We move constantly while often accomplishing very little that carries eternal significance.

Paul’s command is different. He calls believers to redeem the time. To buy it back. To make the most of every opportunity.

Sometimes redeeming the time looks like serving someone in need. Sometimes it means putting down your phone and giving your full attention to your spouse or your children. Sometimes it means sitting quietly before God instead of filling every silent moment with entertainment. Sometimes it means simply resting because rest itself can be an act of faithful stewardship.

Redeeming time isn’t about maximizing productivity. It’s about maximizing faithfulness.

Every Moment Points Somewhere

One of the greatest lies we believe is that only the “big moments” matter. The graduation. The promotion. The wedding. The sermon. The mission trip.

But Scripture consistently shows us a God who works through ordinary moments. A conversation beside a well. A meal around a table. A walk down a dusty road. A fisherman mending nets. A widow dropping two small coins into an offering box.

God has always been in the business of transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities for His kingdom. Perhaps we miss Him because we’re waiting for something bigger.

So What Will We Do With This Moment?

The question isn’t simply how we’ll spend our free time. The deeper question is this:

What kind of people are we becoming with the moments we’ve been given?

Every minute is quietly shaping us. We’re either becoming more like Christ or becoming more comfortable without Him. There really isn’t much neutral ground.

So maybe the challenge isn’t to live every day as though it were our last. Maybe it’s to receive every moment as though it were an irreplaceable gift from God. Because it is.

Once this moment passes…it will never exist again.

The good news is that another moment is already arriving. The question is whether we’ll redeem it.