How to say ‘I value you’ without saying a word!

I was struck by the phrase “thank you for your time”. One day at work two separate people both ended their conversations with me by saying that very phrase, which really made me think about why time is seen as something so valuable…

Time is a very precious thing. Arguably we rarely, if ever, seem to have enough time to do everything and at any one moment there are often 101 different things that can be vying for our focus and demanding our attention. Efficiency is often a characteristic employers love, and something many of us strive for. The ability to multitask well is also particularly valued, or admired, as it means more can be done with every precious moment!

So, I think that’s exactly why it speaks volumes when you do give someone your time, because you’re saying “I value you”, without saying any words. We all know the feeling you get when someone’s talking to you but glancing at something, or someone, else every few seconds and the real difference it makes when someone gives you their undivided attention.

I think because there are so many different things that we could be doing at any given moment, when we do give someone our undivided attention, and don’t try to rush them so we can get on with other things, we are choosing to say “you are more important than the other 101 things I could be doing now” and in a busy world, that really does say a lot.

It’s also striking when I read about Jesus when He was on the earth, as the Son of God, He must’ve had any number of things He could’ve been doing at each moment. But, we read again and again of how Jesus gave His time and attention to people, particularly people who others didn’t bother with (e.g. John 4:1-30). I think that speaks volumes about the fact that Jesus came to earth for the sake of people, and they were His priority.

I don’t know about you, but I know that I can far too easily lapse into thinking about a long ‘to do’ list and what else I have to get on with, BUT just having those two people thank me for giving them my time reminded me of how something seemingly small like that can really show care and concern for someone and it really encouraged me to check my priorities. I wonder if it got you thinking too?