Devotional - 11/11/02
“Worship Punctually”
Forewarned is forearmed: I'm taking the opportunity to get a little preachier than usual.
Someone once told me that good preaching is supposed to get you a little uncomfortable in your pew, either because it stirs you from complacency or just gets you mad at the preacher. This week I'll probably arouse a little of both.
Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
I want to write this morning on punctuality.
The word doesn't occur in the Bible. Come to think of it, the whole concept of time, at least in daily or hourly units, isn't addressed directly, probably because I'm sure people led different lives before the invention of the clock. Sometimes I wish the infernal thing had never been invented myself.
Like yesterday. Sound check was at 8:30, which means that each of my musicians are expected to be at their posts, set up and ready to set their levels. At that time I looked at my watch and looked around the stage. One of the musicians had brought in some gear, but wasn't in the room at the time. None of my other musicians had even arrived yet. (If you were one of those people, I apologize for embarrassing you in front of the rest of the class, but I assure you that this sermon isn't aimed just at you folks.)
We actually started sound check at around 8:55, and weren't done with our rehearsal until 9:45-ish. There had been no major technical or musical problems during the check (although we had dealt with some pretty major staging problems prior to that, but they didn't affect the setup time). We hastily spent a few moments in prayer and were done at 9:52. We had precisely eight minutes of free time before we all had to suit up again and do the service -- barely enough time for a potty break. As a matter of fact, at 10:03 I was frantically searching the complex for a missing musician, and found them chatting in the lobby. The service started at 10:05.
Some of you may be thinking that I really shouldn't see this as a big deal. Maybe I shouldn't. But I feel that, especially for first-time visitors, to have us start our service five minutes late (except for serious technical or personnel problems) shows a lack of stewardship on our part and lowers our ability to influence them positively.
Time is one of the most precious commodities that the Lord entrusts to us. How we manage it reflects on our character.
OK, where does today's verse fit into all this? Most of the time, when I'm late for something, I feel I have a valid excuse. And to be honest, most of the time when someone arrives late to a rehearsal or performance, I don't hear "I'm sorry, I feel bad about this and I'll try not to let it happen again," but instead I hear the reason (usually very valid) why the person was late.
This, I feel, reflects back to the individual's view toward life.
"The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway." At first glance, you may think that this means that if you are upright and not lazy things will go smoothly for you. But look closer, and you may find a different interpretation.
Don't most of us think of time in a "cup half empty" sort of way? Like, if we just had more of it, we'd be able to do all the things we really want and not be late for anything? This is the way I read the first half of that verse. The more you see time as an obstacle, the lazier you are. Pure and simple. The more you see time as your ally, the more upright you are.
Of course it relates to more than time: money, circumstances, relationships, and many other things in life can be seen as "thorns" or a "highway" -- it all depends on your point of view.
When it comes to money, look at Sam Walton: born lower middle class.
When it comes to circumstances, look at Helen Keller: born blind and deaf.
When it comes to relationships, look at Anne Frank: lost everyone she ever loved.
And when it comes to time, look at Mozart: died at age 37.
What are we doing with our time? And more importantly, how are we viewing it -- as a friend or an enemy?
My prayer is that all of us can move toward uprightness in our view of time.
Well, gotta go. I'm late for work. . .;-)
- Dale Haas