Reflection: A Moment That Changed Me
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside,
“..redeeming the time.” — Colossians 4:5
There are moments in life that leave a mark—not because they were loud or dramatic, but because they revealed something true about our hearts. One night, while spending time with my granddaughters, I found myself drifting between laughter in the room and the buzz of my phone, which lit up with messages. Instead of redeeming the time, I allowed distraction to steal what should have been a sacred moment.
I could have waited until after they went to bed.
I could have silenced the phone.
I could have chosen presence.
But I didn’t.
And in an instant, excitement shifted into disappointment. Their bright little faces dimmed, and my heart broke because I knew I had done that. Not with anger, not with harsh words, but with inattention—one of the quietest ways a child’s Spirit can be crushed.
That night, I cried myself to sleep. I felt the weight of holy sorrow because I loved them deeply and had unintentionally wounded them. But it was in that sorrow that the Holy Spirit handed me a gift—the gift of repentance. Not shame. Not condemnation.
Repentance that restores.
Repentance that transforms.
Repentance teaches us how to Love better.
From that day forward, my phone no longer enters sacred space. When I am with my loved ones, I am with them. Eyes lifted. Heart open. Fully present.
Because the gift of Presence is eternal.
The gifts of presents fade. They have no value
Presence becomes memory.
Presence becomes safety.
Presence becomes Love.
This is how God loves us—and how we learn to Love others. Put the phone away; time cannot be redeemed once lost.
Time should never be wasted; redeem every moment, life can be taken in the blink of an eye.