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When does it go up and when does it come down?
When does it go up and when does it come down?
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Is your Christmas tree packed away for another year? When is the right time to take down the tree? When is the right time to put up the tree? Both questions can lead to interesting and spirited discussions, hopefully spirited and good-natured. For some the right time for it to go up is the day after Thanksgiving. For others it may be earlier – for a myriad of reasons: putting up and decorating more than one, the season gets too busy after Thanksgiving, Christmas spirit is too big to wait, etc. Similar arguments can be made for the timing of its removal. For some it needs to come down 15 minutes after the presents are opened, b/c when it is over it is over. For others it is such a hassle they procrastinate, until some tree-shames them. Ultimately the answer to both questions is the same. Whether you like it or not, the answer is: Whenever you want to.
There are some things, however, about which we cannot be so casual in our timing. There are a lot of actions in our lives that require a much more urgent response. Things we tend to put off “just a little bit longer,” or “until the timing in right.” Sadly, such reasoning usually results in perpetual procrastination, and we never see them accomplished.
For instance:
When is the right time to apologize for hurting someone? (Matt 5:23-24)
When is the right time to use kind words? (Eph. 4:29)
When is the right time to be a peacemaker instead of a pot-stirrer? (Matt. 7:12)
When is the right time to tell someone you love them? (Rom. 13:8)
When is the right time to get rid of sinful and harmful habits? (Pro. 28:13)
When is the right time to give full control of your life to God? (Act 22:16)
The answer to all the above is, “Now!” Now is the time to do the right thing. I think it is safe to say that all of us have one or more of these situations (or something like them) which need to be dealt with immediately. Why are you putting off handling it? Is it really because the timing is not right? Or is it more an issue of personal, stubborn pride? Only you can answer that, and I hope you will answer it honestly. More importantly, I hope we can all understand that the right time is now to do what we know we should.
