Reclaiming My Time
How can I gain the most of my time in 2026?
Regulate your time with wisdom (“Walk in wisdom”) - Colossians 4:5
in wisdom—practical Christian prudence.
Toward them that are without (προς τους ἐξω [pros tous exō]). A Pauline phrase for those outside the churches (
4:5 wisdom Paul refers to practical and transformational wisdom, not intellectual insight (compare
Wisdom includes not only the apprehension of and ability to communicate the mystery (1:9) but also the knowledge of how to communicate it successfully
To perfect this dimension of one’s life in Christ, Paul told believers to be wise in the way they act. This wisdom (sophia; cf. 1:9; 28; 3:16), which is God’s, not man’s (cf.
Early Christians were often viewed with suspicion, distrust, and disdain. They were considered atheists because they would not worship the gods of Rome and Greece. Many labeled them as unpatriotic because they would not burn incense before the image of the emperor.
With such misrepresentations of Christian belief and practice running rampant, it was very important for misunderstandings to be dispelled by the virtuous and impeccable lives of Christian believers.
Literally, Paul said, “In wisdom be walking.” Thus godly wisdom encompasses the life, as well as the words. At the beginning of the epistle, Paul prayed for the Colossians to know wisdom; here he prayed for them to live it.
Wisdom was necessary because of their Christian testimony. The “ones outside” (exō) needed examples of God’s wisdom.
Divine wisdom results in a positive witness.
Be wise in the way you act is literally ‘walk in wisdom’, that is, follow Christ as God’s pattern for full and authentic human living.
Wisdom enables us to combine boldness with tact. Wisdom enables us to employ the proper approach in specific situations and with particular individuals
Walk. Gr. peripateō, “to conduct one-self” (see on
TEV
“Be wise in the way you act”
NJB
“Act wisely”
Right decisions require intentionality (Make the most of every opportunity”) - Colossians 4:5
16. Redeeming the time—(
WAHL explains, “Redeeming for yourselves (that is, availing yourselves of) the opportunity (offered you of acting aright), and commanding the time as a master does his servant.”
TITTMANN, “Watch the time, and make it your own so as to control it; as merchants look out for opportunities, and accurately choose out the best goods; serve not the time, but command it, and it shall do what you approve.” So PINDAR [Pythia, 4.509], “The time followed him as his servant, and was not as a runaway slave.”
redeeming the time—The Greek expresses, buying up for yourselves, and buying off from worldly vanities the opportunity, whenever it is afforded you, of good to yourselves and others. “Forestall the opportunity, that is, to buy up an article out of the market, so as to make the largest profit from it” [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].
We all have the same time. Paul goes into the open market and buys it up by using it rightly.
Also Paul’s readers should make the most of every opportunity (lit., “buy up [exagorazomenoi] the time”). They should be ready “in season and out of season” (
“Every opportunity” (4:5). Opportunities come for Christians to witness when they relate to others with tact and sensitivity. Don’t antagonize non-Christians and then blame them for failing to accept the Gospel.
“Make the most” translates the verb exagorazo, which means to buy back in the active voice. It is middle voice in Greek here and conveys the idea of “make the most of the time.”
The fact that the verb “make the most of” occurs with the statement to be wise suggests that there was an opportunity to take.
The word ‘opportunity’ may have simply the sense of ‘time’: the clause is probably an instruction to regard time as opportunity for witness, and to use it eagerly as such.
make the most of every opportunity. The literal translation of this phrase is redeem [buy back] the time. It refers to “snapping up every opportunity that comes.” Believers can look to the example of the man who penned the words for encouragement. Paul, the prisoner, exploited every opportunity to share the message.
Redeeming the time. Literally, “buying up for yourselves the opportune time” (see on
This was the term (exagorazō) used to describe redemption (cf.
Remain focused (Subpoint: “Knowing your calling gives your time purpose.”) - Colossians 4:6
seasoned with salt—that is, the savor of fresh and lively spiritual wisdom and earnestness, excluding all “corrupt communication,” and also tasteless insipidity (
how ye ought to answer every man—(
4:6 seasoned with salt In the ancient world, salt was used to preserve food and enhance flavor. Conversation that is figuratively seasoned with salt is uplifting.
In addition, their conversation (logos, “word, discourse, talking”) should be always full of (lit., “in”) grace (“gracious, pleasing”; cf.
seasoned with salt: Not insipid, not flat, not dull, not tasteless. Christians are to have an edge of liveliness, and to be marked by purity, wholesomeness, and hallowed pungency.
that you may know … answer each one: In order that we can adapt the message to the situation and speak appropriately to each and every person.
Salt had three uses at that time. It could preserve a food, “sterilize” a food (antiseptic), or season a food. Here Paul took the last meaning. Conversation was to be seasoned, i.e., acceptable and inoffensive.
Sound answers offered with a positive spirit overcome many obstacles to the gospel. This text emphasizes the method of answering more than the content. It calls for Christian graciousness and sensitivity to the person and situation.
Christians are to work at making their witness interesting, lively and colourful; and, at the same time, to ensure that they have thoroughly mastered the rudiments of their faith so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It was used as a preservative to keep food from spoiling. This would mean the believer’s speech is to be free from corruption, wholesome. Salt was also used as an additive to give flavor to food. If this meaning lies behind the figure, then the believer’s speech is to be interesting, witty, tactful, and appealing. Perhaps the best understanding of the reference to salt is that the believer’s speech is to be both wholesome and appealing.
Salt was a preserving and flavoring agent; thus Paul probably refers to speech designed to make sense to outsiders and be relevant to them.
Seasoned with salt. Salt renders food palatable. Here it is that which makes speech attractive, stimulating, and agreeable to listen to. The opposite would be stale, insipid, or idle speech (see on
4:6 “speech … seasoned … with salt” Believers must watch their speech (cf.
