I read a verse of scripture the other day that made me smile. It was Proverbs 27:14 and it read, “A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!” I could just visualize trying that with some people I know before they have had a cup or two of coffee in the morning and it got me to thinking about how important timing is in our life and relationships.
Ecclesiastes is not one of my favorite books of the Bible. It takes a very depressing look at life that is not compatible with my positive, encouraging nature. Other than the writer’s conclusion at the end, the one verse that I have found useful is “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” (3:1) He goes on to list activities that must be done at a specific time. There is a certain order to life. It doesn’t make sense to try to reap before you have planted. Other activities require some insight for us to know the right time for them. For example, we may possess some knowledge, but it is wisdom that warns us to keep it to ourselves until the time is right to share it with someone. Have you ever known someone who just can’t tell a joke? Even when they get the setup and punch line correct, their timing is off and the humor is lost in their delivery. Timing is everything.
Timing also matters in the most serious and important areas of our life. Looking back, when I proposed to Carol in 1962, it seemed to be the worst possible timing, but it turned out just right. I had been through basic training and two technical schools in the Air Force and was about to deploy on an eighteen month tour of duty on Okinawa. But my six months away from her made me realize how much I wanted Carol to be a permanent part of my life. I wired my savings to my step-mother and asked her to pick out a nice engagement ring set. When I got home on leave, I prayerfully and very nervously presented the engagement ring to Carol and asked her to marry me when I return from the other side of the world. Fortunately, she felt the same way and said yes! We shared a strong Christian faith and complete trust in each other, so we knew the separation we faced, though painful, would not affect our relationship or our love. That event set the stage for over fifty years of married life together.
Believe me when I tell you that without the prompting of the Holy Spirit I doubt that I would have had the courage to pop the question to her on that particular day. His presence in our life together also allowed us to get through some rough times during our long marriage. God’s timing is perfect and if we rely on Him for advice, He will show us just the right time for us to take action no matter what the situation might be.