Some of you may remember the popular TV show from the 1970s, The Partridge Family (even if you haven’t watched it, you’ve probably heard of it). One of the stars of that show was David Cassidy, who played Keith Partridge in the singing, traveling family from which the show received its name. Cassidy’s involvement with the show, as well as his subsequent pursuit of singing and acting, turned him into a teen heartthrob. While his fame in the US diminished somewhat as the 1970s came to an end, he remained fairly popular in Europe. Earlier this year, Cassidy announced that he would be ending his public appearances because he had developed dementia. On November 21, 2017, Cassidy passed away from organ failure in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 67.
About a week after his passing, Cassidy’s daughter Katie Cassidy shared his last words with the world: “So much wasted time.” Take a few moments and let those words sink in.
What makes that statement all the more tragic is the knowledge that Cassidy and his daughter had an estranged relationship for a number of years, only being recently reconciled. I cannot help but to think that Cassidy might have been thinking of the many years spent not only out of communication with his daughter, but also out of her life completely. After all, Katie Cassidy included in the statement that shared her father’s last words, “This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute.” The reason for the estrangement is not known (at least, those involved have not spoken about it), but regardless of the reason, a father and a daughter spent years separated from one another. Now, there are certainly situations where separation is appropriate (abuse, in its many forms, comes readily to mind), but even then we ought to recognize that such a situation is the result of living in a sin-marred world. I can’t tell you how many relationships I have seen broken because of either direct or indirect sin, to the point where sometimes the folks who are no longer speaking to one another cannot even remember why it is they don’t talk! “So much wasted time…”
Our days are filled with competing demands for our time, including our work, families, friends, hobbies, social media, sports, repairs to our homes or autos, faith…you get the point. Some of these demands pay greater dividends than others (I assure you the time you spend with your children or your spouse will far outweigh getting another jab in during an online debate – because soooo many minds have been changed by what they read in an Internet argument!), but we often fail to prioritize these demands properly. Is there anything wrong with being on social media? No, but if you spend more time on it than in Bible study or prayer during the day, then you need to examine yourself to see if that has become an idol. Far too often, we allow the inconsequential to replace that which is of eternal value. “So much wasted time…”
The Bible says in 1 Cor. 3:11-15, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” Let us endeavor to build on the foundation that is Christ those things that will have eternal worth, and not hear the judgment of our work, “So much wasted time…” Just something to think about…
0 Comments