Let us start by defining our terms. ‘To maximise’ means to take the best possible advantage of; to enlarge or stretch to its elasticity limit. The opposite of “maximise” is “minimise”. If a student had the capacity or capabilities to make a First Class but ended up making a Second Class Upper, we would say he did not maximise his capabilities even though Second Class Upper is still a very good grade. In a business, if we make less profit than the opportunities available or if, in a position in government a leader performs below par despite the avalanche of resources at his disposal, it can be said that such a fellow did not maximise but has minimised his opportunities and time in office. An average performance, where the capacity to do more is available, does not maximise but minimises. Remember the book, An Enemy Called Average by John Mason. It is only when we maximise that we are at our best; it is only then that we give our best to society. Destinies are best fulfilled when opportunities that come our way are maximised.
“Times and seasons” are moments and seconds that become minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, and millennia, etc. Embedded in “times and seasons” is the understanding that it is fleeting, however long and inexhaustible it may seem at first, and that it waits for no one. Hence, the saying: “Time and tide wait for no man”. Seasons, like tides, signify unpredictability, ups and downs and the absence of uniformity. In fact, what is predictable in seasons is its unpredictability! Hence the saying: No condition is permanent!
“Times and seasons” are sometimes good or favourable and, at others, bad and unfavourable; the Book of Job teaches that we cannot expect or accept what is “good” from God and not expect to receive the very opposite once in a while. Philosophers such as Aristotle and Cicero came up with the concept of summum bonum which, to the former, is an ultimate end or goal (the full enjoyment of life in joy and happiness) at which all human action is directed and to the former, the highest or ultimate good towards which human beings gravitate or should gravitate. The opposite of this, however, is what another philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, described as summum malum, or greatest evil, which is the fear of violent death. Hobbes famous quotes of a “state of nature” in his book, Leviathan, described it as “a war of all against all, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”.
Hobbes countered Aristotle and Cicero when he posited that there is no summum bonum or ultimate good but only ultimate evil. He said: “We desire not to die. While there is no summum bonum or greatest good, there is a summum malum, or greatest evil, which is death. We passionately wish to avoid death”. This is the theory that Hobbes used to justify State power and the restriction of human freedom for the benefit of all; otherwise, if everyone were allowed to exercise their liberty without restraint, society would be ungovernable and no one would, in the end, be safe.
Scripture has so much to teach us about times and seasons and how to maximise them. Unfortunately, many of us use the Bible only to bind and loose, to cast out and command to come; good and profitable as these may be, a greater benefit, in my view, is derivable from the application of Bible wisdom and teachings to our everyday living. We have a rich repertoire of harvests in the word of God concerning times and seasons and how to maximise them. The Preacher tells us in Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – 8 that “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven…” Some have posited that this is the philosophy of Determinism and have queried what room, if any, is left for freewill. My answer is that within the limits or borders set, there remains still a lot of legroom for anyone intent on maximising times and seasons!
Strike the iron when it is hot! Opportunity comes but once! Opportunity once lost can never be regained! “I shall pass this way but once” is a quote that has been credited to multiple authors but the central theme or message remains the same: “Any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now… for I will not pass this way again”! That is the limit of the knowledge available to mankind for now. We do not know what tomorrow hides in its belly! Therefore, procrastination is the thief of time.
We cannot maximise times and seasons if we are like the sluggard in Proverbs 2: 33: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man” We must also apply two other wisdoms of the Preacher if we must maximise times and seasons: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth” (Ecclesiastes 11: 1-6) and “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be like good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). The parable of the sower as told by Jesus Christ Himself confirms the above. (Matthew 13; 18-23).
Knowing times and seasons is one of the greatest challenges that confront man. Jesus Christ says the end time that we predict on a daily basis is only known to God. The Preacher says there is nothing new under the earth. There is nothing that is happening today that did not happen in times past. And there in no prediction or prophecy of God, if we truly believe He is God; that will not come to pass. So, why pray against such? We predict but come to grief because we lack an understanding of the times and seasons for their manifestation. We rush to press with prophecies, dreams and visions and end up being called prophets of doom or fake prophets. Maybe truly you were Number 16 but you became Number Nothing because, failing to ask for times and seasons for the manifestation of that which you received and how it shall be fulfilled, you ran before your time and another took your place. This is where Daniel and the Virgin Mary differed from us. Daniel asked for times and seasons; and when Mary received the message from Angel Michael, she asked “How can this thing be”?
We are passing through interesting times in our country as we speak, to quote the iconoclastic Dr. Tai Solarin, but can we “pray” like Tai did, for our road to be rough? And can our road be rougher than it is right now? You may not believe it but it can! Each time we think we have had the worst, worse things happen! May we not know better yesterday is a prayer God is yet to answer for this country! But may we as individuals not know better yesterday! Keeping hope alive is one of the surest ways of maximising times and seasons. Some biblical examples of how our forefathers maximised times and seasons will do.
1. When there was famine in the land, just like we have in our land today, Isaac wanted to run away just like his father, Abraham before him had done but God counselled him not to. Bible records that Isaac sowed in the land and reaped multiple folds and became richer than his wealthy father. We were not told that Isaac only prayed and fasted and did vigil. He might have done all of that but, importantly, he sowed in the land. He worked hard. Faith without work is dead. Hard times have two faces: The hardship that comes with it and the opportunities it spins; it depends on which one we choose to see.
2. When Pharaoh had the dream that unsettled him, the solution that Joseph proffered was “save for the rainy day” Tell me, what happened to Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund? Assuming we made saving a habit, we will not be where we are today. As individuals, we must take a cue from this.
3. When there was famine in the land, Naomi and her household did the opposite of what Isaac did: they “japa” to the land of the Moabites but what happened to them there? Naomi lost her husband and two sons and returned home empty. By the time she did, the problem she ran away from had dissipated! But for Ruth that came back with her, she would actually have transformed from Naomi (Pleasant) to Mara (Bitterness).
4. In the siege over Samaria, four lepers took the risk to go into the enemy camp; without that, they would have died and, possibly, the entire city would have perished from a danger that no longer existed but which they knew nothing about, until God used the lepers to open their eyes. Taking calculated risks, like the lepers did, is one of the ways to maximise times and seasons like the one we are passing through today.
5. The widow of Zarephath, the Shunamite woman and Tabitha (Dorcas) gave sacrificially; so also the widow who cast her mites into the offering bag. Giving opens doors. Closed destinies get an expression when the heart is primed to give sacrificially. Ten lepers were cleansed but only one returned to show appreciation; as a result, his miracle was made more perfect than that of the other ingrates. Two words that many people find very difficult to say are “Sorry” and “Thank you”!
6. What do you have, Elisha asked the widow of one of the sons of the prophets. Jesus Christ, to feed the thousands, blessed the few loaves of bread and pieces of fish that the lad had with him. Many Christians today have nothing to do; yet, they desire blessings and miracles, praying day and night and shouting “amen, I receive” all over the place. What they want is magic.
7. Blind Bartimaeus refused to be cowered; the more they tried to shut him up, the louder he cried. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. Bartimaeus was also specific about his vision and mission: “That I may receive my sight”! Many have no clear idea of their purpose in life. How can such maximise times and seasons?
11. Jephthah, like David, was a reject but each developed their God-given gifts and talents. If you have what the world needs, they will look for you. Be a solution provider. Never go to people and say, “Please, help me”. Rather, say to them, “I can help you. I have something you need!” A man’s gifts maketh a way for him. And be diligent in whatever you do. Add value! “Seeth thou a man diligent in his business…” (Proverbs 22:29).
12. As much as it lies within your power, stay healthy. “Mens sana in corpore sano: A sound mind in a sound body”.
13. This is the digital age; the age of high-tech. Technology must not pass you by. If it does, you have become irrelevant and cannot in any way maximise times and seasons.
Finally, “wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13-20).
Lecture delivered on the platform of the Journalist for Christ Fellowship at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Lagos on Saturday, 22nd July, 2023
Former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of the Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Bolawole writes the On the Lord’s Day column in the Sunday Tribune and the Treasurers column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television. He can be reached on turnpot@gmail.com +234 807 552 5533
