Our Time or God's Time

I recently watched the movie In Time starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. I will admit right off the bat that I did not think it was an amazing movie overall, but it did have some interesting points that it was trying to make. Set in a future where time has become the only form of currency, this movie attempts to address what individuals would do with their time.

In Time takes place in the year 2161, where people have been genetically engineered to only live to the age of 25. Once an individual turns 25 they are given 1 years worth of time which appears on their arm as shown in the picture above. It is important to note that they do not physically age past 25, since it is a little confusing that even those living for a hundred years still look 25. In this world they are always losing time as they live and have to use their time to pay for everything. Of course individuals can earn more time by working or other various forms of more illegal activities.

In the movie the main character Will Salas, played by Justin Timberlake, meets a man who has over a centurys worth of time. Will helps to rescue the man from some thugs that want to steal his time. Once safe, the man reveals a couple of ideas that become the main thrust of the movie's plot. He tells Will that "For few to be immortal, many must die" alluding to the idea that there is enough time for everyone, but a few people are greedy and are trying to amass all the time for themselves. Will is upset by the idea that people are dying before they naturally should, just so others can be immortal. The man tells him that "your mind is worn out, even though your body may not be. We want, we need, to die." That night the man gives all of his time to Will, leaving himself a short amount of time, and essentially killing himself. Will then determines not to waste the time he was given and proceeds to upset the unjust system.

We have been discussing ideas of what it means to be a human being. We have determined that there is a material part and an immaterial part. There is the idea of the material body and then the immaterial mind. I thought it was interesting how the man had a youthful body, but his mind was weak. God knew what He was doing when he created us and we are not designed to live past our time. In Psalms 139:16 (NIV) it says that "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God has a plan for each of us that fits perfectly into His plan.

In the movie the man's body had stayed young but his mind was growing weak. I know that this is science fiction however if we were able to genetically alter our bodies, what would happen to our minds. Being designed by God, I believe our minds would be affected by the unnatural alteration. Also what price would individuals have to pay so that others could have more time? I do not believe that God would intend that some people would die prematurely just so others could go on living for hundreds of years.

Ultimately the movie made me think about God's plan for our lives. I think part of our existence is that we do not know how much more time we have, therefore we are urged not to waste our time. Ephesians 5: 15-17 (NIV) says "Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."