Punctuality
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Today we are going to begin looking at a number of lessons that have been suggested I look into and preach on.
I haven’t prioritized them in any way, and I won’t tell who asked me to preach these lessons necessarily, but these lessons are ones that some of you who have suggested and therefore saw the need for them even if I didn’t at first.
A prime illustration of that is this lesson we are going to be looking at today.
As you all know I have attended as a member at several congregations, both growing up and through my time studying to be a preacher and being a full-time preacher.
One of the things I found most frustrating and then somewhat liberating with smaller congregations is their lack of stress as far as punctuality comes.
By that I mean it’s nice that if someone is running a little late you can wait so they don’t miss any of the bible class or worship.
People typically aren’t as worried about staying a little late after to make up for it if necessary.
However, when I was asked if I had ever actually studied the topic of “Punctuality” in the bible I had to admit I hadn’t.
As I thought about it over the last several months and studied the topic, I have come to a few conclusions that surprised me and have certainly made me think.
As you all know, I don’t necessarily like being late and strive to be on time as best as possible to any and everything wherein “on time” is desired but can say I fail at it a lot.
In other words, after putting this lesson together I realized I need to make many different choices when it comes to my “punctuality.”
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11…
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
In other words, there is a punctual time for everything.
With this in mind let’s examine our lesson for today by first looking at the idea of…
Tardiness
Tardiness
Defining Punctuality.
Defining Punctuality.
Punctuality is the quality of being on time.
When we the airline says the plane will leave at 9:00 am we appreciate when it actually leaves on time or when the doctor says come to be seen at say 2:00 pm we appreciate not having to wait an hour to be seen when we set the appointment up for 2:00 not 3:00.
So, punctuality is simply being on time.
Typically, people come in two different groups those that are punctual and those that are chronically late.
There is always overlap between the two but typically people are either typically on time or not.
Now for this less I don’t want to focus on “personal punctuality” i.e., “procrastination.”
I do want to focus on what not being punctual can mean in our interactions with other members of the church and those outside the church.
So, with that in mind I want us to consider two underlying, whether known or not, issues with not being punctual when we set up a time to meet someone.
The first issue is actually based in…
Pride.
Pride.
I must admit this wasn’t even on my radar when I first started studying this, though as I thought back, I know I’ve thought this in the past.
When one set their mind to believe “That’s just how I am,” not a punctual person, they don’t realize what they are truly saying.
What’s really being said is “I’m important enough that others should have to wait on me and my timetable.”
Tardiness communicates to the one that is “waiting” that they are not the priority.
That even though a time was agreed upon and one made sure to be there on time the tardy one didn’t think the one they were meetings time was as important as theirs.
Now, when we think of it like this, we can easily see the issue here as it flies in direct contradiction to what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3-4.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Thought I don’t think any of us here conscientiously think we are more important than anyone else our actions can other wise if we are not careful.
Another issue with not being punctual is that is demonstrates a lack of…
Self-Control.
Self-Control.
Punctuality is a byproduct of an aspect of the fruit of the spirit “self-control.”
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Self-control demands that we are proactive in our choices and schedules.
In other words, rather than reacting to unexpected events, being punctual means allowing for unexpected situations by allowing for them in our schedule.
As people it can be easy to get so much on our plate and then getting overwhelmed and rushed when things aren’t going as quickly as we hoped.
When I look back to when I’m late meeting someone I can almost always trace it back to one of two reasons.
First, when I’m late it’s typically because I didn’t give myself enough time to get done what I needed to get done before I was supposed to leaven.
I simply tried to do too much in not enough time.
Second, I’ve been late plenty of times because I procrastinated on what needed to get done and was late starting it.
This, would probably be the biggest reason for when I’m not punctual but tardy.
To be punctual is to have enough self-control to give make sure our time-management such that we honor our commitments.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
Summary
Summary
While all of us will find ourselves not being punctual from time to time we must make sure that when we committee to meeting someone on time whether it be God, our fellow brethren, or those in the world that we honor our commitment.
That we don’t get callus to others and their time by considering our time more valuable than theirs.
The other aspect we must consider from not being punctual is what that does to…
Our Reputation
Our Reputation
Unloving.
Unloving.
I would imagine no one here would think of being late as being unloving but hear me out for a moment.
In light of what we just discussed and the reality of what chronically being late means concerning an evaluation of our time verse the one we are meeting it’s prudent we remember a few things.
We are always supposed to be loving others, even our enemies.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
The truth of the matter is when we consistently make other wait on us, we are dealing with a type of rudeness.
In other words, it is rude to make people wait on us and consider our time more valuable than theirs which brings us back to the idea of unloving which Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
When we are chronically not punctual, we can create a situation where people become annoyed with us and consider us rude because they are always “waiting on us.”
Herein lies another danger in not being punctual it can cause us to lose our good name.
When others think we are rude or unloving of their time we can lose our reputation, and this isn’t good.
1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.
As Christians we should have a reputation as those that “keep our word” not those that “eventually keep our word.”
Our actions point back to Christ and we must ask ourselves if we are glorifying God as we should if we are chronically late and building a bad reputation for such. Are we really bringing honor to God by being such?
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
Another significant issue in light of what we have discussed is that we can cause a…
Stumbling-Block.
Stumbling-Block.
If we are constantly asking or requiring others to wait on us, we can put the stumbling block of sin in front of them.
As we all know constantly being forced to wait on someone can be frustrating and frustration “can” lead to anger and anger “can” lead to sin.
This is not a good situation to put people in. Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 17:1.
1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
In light of this let us remember again what Paul said in Philippians 2:3.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Summary
Summary
Thankfully for those of us who struggle with chronic lateness there is hope.
The fix is a matter of changing bad habits built up over time.
It can be as simple as changing those habits to be more aware of time, planning ahead, and being aware of the possible unexpected.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Let us not forget as well what James tells us as well when we find ourselves in need to wisdom.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
