Have you ever noticed how those who arrive late for a meeting are usually a lot more jolly about their tardiness than those who have been kept waiting? That’s because those who habitually arrive late seldom realize the inconvenience they cause others by their frequent tardiness.
Punctuality has been defined as “demonstrating the worth of people and time by arriving for appointments before they begin.” I like that definition because it captures the two things we need to become punctual- a respect for time and a respect for people.
People who lack punctuality, have seldom considered the precious nature of time. It is our most valuable resource because once we spend it, it can never be replaced. They have also not learned respect for other people. When we keep others waiting, we are robbing them of their most valuable resource- time.
Consider right now the appointments you have scheduled for today. Make sure you’ve allowed yourself enough margin to arrive early for each one because being punctual redeems the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.
