Reading Days or Spring Break

Students at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary have just returned from their Spring Break. The one week of no class is not, however, officially titled as "spring break," by the seminary. It is, rather, identified as "Reading Days." This label reminds me of some significant things about the wise use of ones time.

Spring Break often conjures up different conotations in our modern culture (usually referencing wild parties and half-naked women). Reading Days, however, suggests the oppurtunity afforded students to catch up on their school work, or simply relax with a good book from the hard grind of the academic load. In either case it's a much more fitting way to refer to vacation. The wise use of time is an important and Biblical mandate. We are to redeem the time, the Bible says, for the days are evil. Careless and casual activity or inactivity can lead to or simply be sinful. I was reminded of that this week, not only by the title of my seminary vacation, but in a lesson taught on Sunday night by a fellow church member. In teaching from Hosea 2:21-23 he spelled out for us the truth that God is merciful to man and that this mercy requires a response from us.

In his dealing with our response to God's mercy Dan reminded us that our response is confessional, but not merely a verbal confession. It requires action on our part. He stated that our lives should be a light to the world that causes them to glorify God. Living a godly life that compels others to glorify my Father in heaven requires the proper management of my time. Perhaps I did not do my best at that this previous week. Redeeming the time is a means of evangelism, and in that regard perhaps we all could do a better job of guarding the days and hours that we have. Perhaps "Reading Days" will help us all think more Biblically about our "Spring Breaks".