The old java machine just finished brewing my cups of Door County Country Morning Coffee. I have high hopes for today as I head out this afternoon with Gibbs to guide for pheasants at our annual church hunt. Yesterday was a bit of a bummer as some of our participants had a very hard time connecting their shot gun to the birds.
Hebrews 10:25King James Version (KJV)
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
I would like to talk about the caregivers that report to me at the hospital. I am still relatively new to this position so many of the workers who report to me were ones that I inherited with the job. In the last two years I have added a couple. Their pride in showing up on time through any adversity has amazed me. Most all of them arrive at least 15 minutes early so as to be on time. When the crew is lighter on weekends they have an unwritten rule "No one calls in for and absence". In two years I have seen this happen twice and one of the times was more than legitimate and the other was met with a stern chiding from the peers. Both times with the shortage the team scrambled to cover the hours needed at the medical center.
During the orientation of our newcomers I let the team meet with them and they go over the unwritten expectations. Our employer has a written attendance and tardy policy which I see as very accommodating. But this team sets the bar a lot higher. They also have not had a lost time accident in almost two years now. That's another bar they set high. You won't be hurt if your doing things safely and properly. Here's the moral of this lesson. They hold each other accountable to be there for the patients and the team. Now come to think of it I am the same way and Rene is even worse. I have seen something legitimately hold her up and she had to rush into church at the last second and Katie bar the door if she has to be late for work or church.
She asked me once how I felt about those who come into church ten minutes late as we have already started. I replied, " I am just glad they made it. I adjust the order of the service so that they aren't missing the message". She laughed and said, I was an enabler. "Try giving the message in the beginning for a few weeks and see if they change their habits". Now there is a thought!
There is no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shall not be late, ever,” so it’s not as simple as one Scripture reference to determine God’s view on tardiness. Everyone has been late to something at some point, often due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances. But, if someone is habitually late and unconcerned about being on time, especially if that person professes to be a Christian, then scriptural principles do apply. As with all things, God looks at the heart, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7
When we set patterns of lateness and tardiness we tell those around us where our priorities are. Yes there are times with perfectly good excuses and these need to be considered. But when the lateness becomes a habit because you had to stop and get a coffee, you my friend have an issue. For example last night on our way to church I pulled into a convenience store/gas station and Rene asked why. I explained that my throat was dry and that I wanted a Coke. She looked at her watch and rolled her eyes. " You need to be there to greet people early"! I immediately pulled out of my spiral toward being a couple minutes late, to open the church up, but not really late. I live with a time Czar. But she is correct. She is praying for someone that needs counseling and she really wanted me to be there early. I did get to meet with that one after service which caused Rene to be late for supper. Ha!
Seriously, what's with the lax attendance and arriving late for church? Doesn't God deserve better? When we pass away and Jesus greets us and the angels carry us, would you like for them to be late while you wait wondering if what you believed to be true, is true? No you wouldn't, and they will be right on time. If you have children and grandchildren with you, what are you teaching them? Don't be surprised if later in life they struggle with being on time for school and work. You just showed them that the most important day of the week for Christians is really a day to be a slacker. In your old age you might be sitting in church alone because, well, they just don't see the importance. We never instilled that lesson into them. My caregivers hold each other accountable. What would happen if you lovingly said to the chronic late people " I notice that you struggle getting in on time, is there any way I can help you? It might be that the mother of eight is just struggling with the eight children. Could you stop by earlier and help? I know one of my messages in March for our Saturday night service will be on promptness.
Ok off of the soap box and into the day!
Marty
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