Who's Got Twenty Minutes?

I stopped by a fast-food restaurant en route to work lately and saw the line of cars around the building. I decided walking in for a morning biscuit would be faster.

However, the lady at the counter said, “We’re out of biscuits and won’t have any for 20 more minutes.”

I saw the biscuit-maker behind the counter who was working furiously, and I decided not to wait. Another gentleman in a work uniform walked out with me.

He snidely said, “Who’s got 20 minutes?”

“Right?” I said snidely back.

I’ve sometimes joked that one of my pet peeves is fast food that’s not fast. This day was a case-in-point!

Sometimes 20 minutes can be useful, indeed. Twenty minutes before curfew means young lovers can whisper sweet nothings to one another for a bit longer. An ambulance arriving within 20 minutes can be life-saving. A 20-minute job interview can lead to something positive, or not. Twenty minutes can be all that’s required for a wedding, or a funeral.

My denomination conducted a survey on discipleship identifying eight major factors that are key to spiritual growth. The very first one was “daily engagement with scripture.” This is what we used to call “daily Bible reading” when we checked it off on our Sunday School attendance cards.

Further research demonstrates one can read the entire Bible in a year by scheduling 20 minutes daily if a fairly competent reader, and if one can read 3-4 chapters each day.

I think many believers begin the new year with good intentions to “read the Bible through.” This seems to be OK the first month, but around February they get bogged down in the complicated laws and all the “smiting” and bloodshed. But reading the Bible through remains an option, though some plans suggest reading from both testaments each day.

Many denominations offer devotional guides that maybe aren’t as aggressive as reading the Bible through, and this is another good option. Readers may choose to read a lesser grouping and take more time to ponder how to apply scripture to their daily lives.

Another consideration is finding a scriptural translation that makes sense to the reader. Years ago all we had was the King James Version, but today there are so many modern-speech versions, and many Bible apps that have these at our fingertips.

A final consideration is time-of-day. A number of biblical characters sought God in the morning, but I don’t see a clear command to read scripture only in the morning. I believe we should find a time that fits our schedule and make it a regular habit.

Who’s got 20 minutes?

You and me.

And daily engagement with scripture can change our lives. -30-

“Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.