Practise Punctuality

Punctuality is not often seen as a character to be cultivated. It is likely a common weakness to be overlooked…by the offender, but nonetheless irritate other people. People who are chronically late like to portray themselves to be busy, having various roles and responsibilities. But deep down, the real issue is poor time management, lack of respect for other people’s time, lack of accountability, and pride. Let’s make the decision to practise punctuality in every appointment and commitment.

Prioritise our time and commitment appropriately.

Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honour, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognising and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16, AMP)

Use our time wisely.

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest [and daydream],” then your poverty will come as a robber, and your want like an armed man. (Proverbs 24:33-34, AMP)

Not to procrastinate.

Commit to respect other people’s time.

Turn in early at night for morning appointment

Understand our place and commitment.

Allow realistic travelling time for appointment.

Learn self-discipline.

Increase productivity and fruitfulness.

Take action, not just good intention.

Yield the fruit of the spirit.

Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. (Ecclesiastes 11:4, NLT)

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:3)

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy person on his bed [never getting out of it]. (Proverbs 26:14, AMP)

He made the moon for the season; the sun knows the [exact] place of its setting. (Psalms 104:19, AMP)

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5, NLT)

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8, NLT)

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

To practise punctuality, we need to learn to use our time wisely. Although it is true that each of us has different life span, we all have 24 hours per day, no more, no less. Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. How do we use our time wisely for the days and hours that God has given us?

Time spent to refresh our body

God does not only care about our spirit and soul, but also our body.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Activities that we choose to refresh our body are important: sleep, exercise, rest or leisure activities, and healthy eating. We spend one third of our lifetime in sleep. A good sleep recharges us for the tasks in a new day. People who are in sleep debt keep withdrawing from their sleep bank without depositing it back, the result is chronic sleep deprivation, and inefficiency in everything they do.

What we choose for our leisure activities is important. Are they in conflict with God’s moral standard? Do they lead us into temptation and addiction? Are we spending too much time on those activities?

Time spent to renew our mind affect our mind differently, depending on the nature of our employment or study. How well do we perform our duties? What is our attitude towards our colleagues or classmates?

Eph 4:17-18 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

We need to renew and enrich our mind, to keep learning and improving; and be wise and discerning in what we allow to influence our mind.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Time spent to revive our spirit

Titus 3:5-6 (ESV) He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

To revive our spirit, we need the work of the Holy Spirit, and to get to know God and Jesus Christ, through reading the Word of God, praying, fasting, quiet time, and participating in church activities that serve these purposes.

Time invested in relationship and service for others

We need to invest time in building relationship with others: family members, friends, fellow Christians, colleagues, classmates, neighbours, etc. It is also our duty to invest time in community service.

Our employment (whether an employer, employee, or home duties) and study

Quoting from Ps. David Pawson: “Life is much too short to do everything you want to do, and you always have to choose, but life is long enough to do everything God wants you to do.” Will you make the decision today to choose wisely how you use your time?