Jack Hager

Mic Jagger said it is on his side. Jim Croce wanted to put it in a bottle. Tolstoy wrote it one of the two most powerful warriors.

Psalm 90.12 doesn’t use the word, but it is the subject: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

In my mind, time is the only irreplaceable thing other than people.

And the best counsel I’ve ever received regarding time came from a Los Angeles drug dealer.

A couple years before I was arrested (which led to my conversion) I had an appointment to meet the guy to exchange money for drugs.

As I remember, it was set for 2pm in a mall parking lot. Me and two of my guys got there around 1.30. The pair moved to flank the spot of the exchange as insurance.

At quarter after two I was getting nervous. No show? A set-up? What?

A few minutes later the guy rolled up. Three men exited the car, with two of them mirroring my pair.

The guy came up, we switched briefcases (we had done business before and trusted each other).

As I walked away he said, “Hey, man, sorry I was late.”

“No big deal, brother,” I responded.

“STOP!” He happened to be a large black guy…I stopped and looked at him.

“I just stole at least fifteen minutes from you. I could steal your dope – you could always get more. I could steal your woman, you’d find another. But I just took fifteen minutes of your time and you’ll never get it back.”

Ben Franklin is correct: “Lost time is never found again.”