Solomon, a very wise man, wrote, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). He then gave a series of contrasts such as a time to laugh and a time to mourn. In 3:7b he wrote, “A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” Every Christian knows that this is true because we have often said something at the wrong time and often in the wrong way. We know that Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Oh, how we wish all our words glittered like that. However, we too often say things for which we must apologize and regret.
Let us not forget that the proverb also tells us there is a time to speak. We can also have regrets when we stay silent. Let me tell you about a situation that happened to me.
I befriended a man who lived down Beaver Ridge Road. He saw me mowing one day and stopped and talked. He was a retired DEA agent and if you saw Jonathan, you would think he likely worked undercover! Jonathan was recovering from cancer and was limited in his physical activities. After we got to know each other, he asked if I could help him with some jobs outside the house he rented. I helped him by cutting brush and mowing his lawn when his mower broke down. I asked him numerous times if he and his wife went to church. He said his wife did. I invited him to come to Karns but he never did.
Well, life got busy and one day I noticed no activity around his house. A neighbor informed me that Jonathan died in a car accident. A few days later I talked to his landlord, a former member at Karns, who said that Jonathan had told her he was going to start coming to Karns! Immediately I felt guilty because I didn’t nudge Jonathan more. I never offered to study the Bible with him. I was silent when I should have spoken.
As we try to influence folks to obey the Gospel, let’s strive to say the right things at the right time.