"Time Conscious"

The city begins to shake itself awake as the first rays of the morning sun slowly creeps over the Palatine hills and reflect off the Bronze and Marble statues of its mighty conquerors that line the city streets. The servants are as always the first to hustle and scurry about their morning task. They lay out the togas with gold embroidery and in a variety of colors for their masters and prepare for the sumptuous meals that await those of the elite equestrian order. The stark contrast of these two groups stands as a mute reminder of the obvious discrepancy between the two classes that make up this ancient classic culture.

Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of this ancient city, built upon the myth of Castor and Pollux and as a tribute to their strength and power, is another world. It is a world unseen by the masses and one, which rarely if ever comes to the minds of those who dwell above. Yet, there is cloistered away deep in the foreboding dwelling, in the dreary, dark and dank catacombs another class citizens who occupy another world beneath the streets of noble Rome.

Here beneath the hustle and bustle of city we discover a small but committed group huddled in the dim flickering light of olive oil lamps and well used candles, chanting and singing. Many are slaves, most are women yet they have come to this secret, secluded place to break bread (the staff of life), to share in common (have fellowship) with those of like faith and hear the story (the greatest story ever told) retold. Those humble souls present are reliving through the enduring presence of The Son, and Savior, what has become each ones own story.

Surely someone in the group spoke up and reminded Paul, Peter, Clement or whoever was telling the story to make it brief because in the Coliseum above them the games were about to begin. Everyone knows how important it is to beat the pagan rush. Our favorite gladiator’s are playing at noon and we would not want to miss any of the action. We would not want to miss the introductions; we wait anxiously for our hero’s to take the field. Helmets gleaming in the sun and muscles bulging as, Gaius Gluteus Maximus with his two brothers, Medius and Minimus, Flavius Pectoralus Major and the ever-illuminating Aurora Borealis, “get ready to rumble,” against the Lions, Tigers, Bears, Giants, Titans and even other wild beast of air and sea.

It must be all right occasionally to sacrifice genuine fellowship for obsessive fanaticism. You know what they say, “when in Rome” or is that “Romo." Most certainly, God understands how important it is for us to be true “fans?” He knows how much we need our own time to engage in these leisure activities, doesn’t he? Being time conscious must be a virtue that God would applaud. Surely, he knows how important our own time is to each of us and wants us to guard and protect it so that no one or nothing can intrude upon our precious time.

Undoubtedly, God is very time conscious, or maybe not.


Just some things to think about along the way…if you have time!

Bob