Time to give up

Foreigners have the watches, But Lao have the time. —Lao saying

I had been in Laos only a few days and was attending an afternoon orientation session when my new Lao colleague quoted this saying. I thought it was clever and cute and I immediately thought about the two watches I had brought with me to Laos. I had carefully replaced the batteries in them during my last weeks in Canada and had bought a new bracelet for one. I thought I was ready for Laos. Now I wasn’t so sure.

The words haunted me for the next few days as I walked the strange streets around my new neighbourhood and heard the strange sounds that filled the air. Do I have the time for Lao people? Will I be able to connect to the culture and the people? Are my agenda and my timetable more important to me than that of others’? Do I have the time?

In this Lenten season, variations of these questions come to mind as I reflect on Jesus as He made His way to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and continue along the way of the cross toward His death. What kind of things did Jesus have time for? Did He have time for people? Was His own agenda the most important thing? I am struck with the observation that Jesus, in the week before His death, had the time for what was important.

Jesus had time to celebrate.

Passover is a celebration full of tradition and symbolism. Jesus took time to get together with friends and honour this tradition. I don’t imagine that He really enjoyed this Passover as much as some, but He didn’t ignore it or sit in a corner and let someone else lead. He delegated Peter and John to prepare the room. He followed the rituals, and then took them and the traditional symbols and expanded upon them. He used it as a learning tool that is still followed by Christians today.

Jesus had time to pray.

The disciples were tired and slept. That part is easy for me to do. When I suffer from culture shock one of my first responses is to sleep. The first months that I am in a new culture, I sleep over nine hours a night. Going to bed at 8:30 is not unusual. So I can understand the disciples’ response to the stress of their past few days. But Jesus knew that the strength He needed to get through the next few hours and days would come from prayer and not sleep. He needed to talk to God before He could finish His task.

Jesus had time to heal a stranger.

In the garden, when Judas came to betray Jesus with a kiss, one of Jesus’ followers cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Jesus healed the man’s ear. He was under arrest and still had the concern to heal.

Even as Jesus had the time for what was important, I need to take care that I have the time for what is important. I often go rushing off trying to do all the things that I planned to do, when I planned to do them. I need to have time to celebrate with the people I am with, to pray to God for the strength and courage I need to face the future and, finally, to take time to heal relationships with those around me.

A few days after I heard the Lao saying I took off my watch and put it away. I haven’t worn a watch since then. I wish I could say that I have successfully made the change from thinking about time constantly to actually having time but I can’t say that yet. However, I am on the way to being less time-conscious and more people-centred. Slowly I am becoming more Lao.

Many Christians give up something for Lent. I have a challenge to suggest. This Lenten season, why not give up wearing a watch as a symbol for making time for what is important? Each time you look at your bare arm to wonder what the time is, ask yourself what you are doing with time. Do you have the time for what is important?

Phyllis Mann is MCC Laos/Thailand co-representative. She is a member of Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church, Winnipeg.