In order to act wisely, timing is everything.

For example, the famous poetry of Ecclesiastes says:

There is a time for everything

     and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

     (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

When I was teaching my daughter to drive, I learned that, in order to act wisely, “timing is everything”.

In particular, I learned that “timing is everything” when she pulled out of a shopping mall onto a busy road.

As we left the shopping mall, she stopped at a traffic light. It controlled turns onto a major 6-lane road with a meridian. So the only direction she could turn was right.

As we sat at the red light, she asked me, “Can I turn right on red here?”. I said, “Yes”.

She didn’t take into account that “timing is everything” when deciding whether to turn right at a red light.

Immediately after I said, “Yes” (and without looking for any oncoming cars!), she pulled forward into the road to turn right.

I yelled, “Stop!”.

A car on the road was bearing down on us. It would have T-boned us!

Fortunately, my daughter had fast reflexes. She slammed on the breaks. The car that was already in the road swerved. It missed us.

In her defense, my daughter noted that she had asked me before she pulled out and that I had answered, “Yes.”

I defended myself by noting that I correctly told her the rule that applied at that traffic light. She could turn right on red at that traffic light. There was no sign saying, “No Right on Red”.

But that didn’t mean she could turn right on red if a car was about to come through the intersection!

Timing is everything!

Wisdom often consists of choosing a good time to act.

Wisdom often consists of choosing the right time to act.

To use examples from the passage that I quoted from Ecclesiastes:

—when is a good time to plant and a good time to harvest?

—when is a good time to break down, and a good time to build up?

—when is a good time to weep, and a good time to laugh?

—when is a good time to mourn and a good time to dance?

—when is the right time to be silent and the right time to speak?

—when is the right time to embrace and the right time to refrain from embracing?

—when is the right time to kill and the right time to heal?

—when is the right time for war and the right time for peace?

When you’re following rules, including rules found in the Bible, be sure to consider all the facts and circumstances that were assumptions when the rule was given.

When you’re following rules, including rules found in the Bible, be sure to consider all the facts and circumstances that will affect the impacts (bad pun!) of your actions.

When you’re following rules, including rules found in the Bible, be sure to use Wisdom to discern whether the rule should be changed because the rule reflects the hardness in the hearts of people instead of the love in the heart of God. (Matthew 19:3-8).

For example, be sure to consider all the facts and circumstances when following the wisdom of Jesus given in the Sermon on the Mount. I discuss such considerations in my blog “Building Houses on Rock: Mission Impossible?”.

Consider all the facts and circumstances when acting based on rules given in the Torah—especially rules about killing enemies and criminals, committing genocide, and destroying the “worship centers” of people who follow other religions.

Consider all the facts and circumstances when acting based on rules given in the writings of the Apostle Paul—especially rules about slaves, gender roles, and LGBTQ+.

People of goodwill—including people who follow the Way of Jesus—will differ in applying such rules.

Just as at the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15, there should be a great deal of discussion:

—What do the Scriptures say? (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

—Will any changes to traditional rules make it easier for people to turn to the LORD? (Acts 15:19).

—Will any changes to traditional rules be sensitive to the feelings of people who prefer traditional rules? (Acts 15:19-21).

—Will the traditional rules and any changes to the traditional rules grow the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? (Acts 15:7-9,12).

Use Wisdom to stop following rules that resulted from the hardness of peoples’ hearts.

Use Wisdom to start following new rules that result from the love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of God’s heart. (Galatians 5:23).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

When did you follow a rule, but later came to realize that you had done the wrong thing, even if you were following a rule found in the Bible?

Why are we against polygamy today, even though revered people in the Old Testament (such as Abraham and David) had more than one wife?

Why are we against slavery today, even though revered people in the Old Testament (such as Abraham and Sarah) had slaves?

How do we discern when a rule in the Bible (for example, the Law of Moses regarding divorce) was given because of the hardness of peoples’ hearts even though God prefers a different rule because of the love in God’s heart? (Matthew 19:8-9).

READ MORE

For related thoughts, please read my blogs “Building Houses on Rock: Mission Impossible?”, “The Total Eclipse: Following the GPS”, “Timothy: A Good Shepherd”, “Grace and Peace—Titus”, and “Speaking Up”.

Please also read the following Appendices in my book The Promised Land, at pages 153-194: “How To Apply the Word of God Authoritatively”, “How To Apply the Bible to Specific Matters”, “The Accuracy and Reliability of the Bible”, “The Spirit in Which To Study and Apply the Bible”, “Thoughts About the First Eleven Chapters of Genesis”, and “Tax Law Concepts Regarding Adam, Eve, Etc.”.

Please also read the chapter “James, Peter and John Fellowship with Paul” in my book Lighting the World, at pages 73-82.