Issue #185, July 13, 2016
Great servant leaders not only manage their time well, they have a keen sense of timing. They have a sense of “when” it is the right time to do something. Time management focuses on making effective use of the time available, essentially doing the right things. Certainly leaders need to effectively manage their time. But they also need to have a sense of timing, doing what needs to be done at the right time. Some leaders may have an intuitive sense of timing; they just ‘know’ when the time is right to act or to speak. But all leaders can develop a stronger sense of timing if they are willing to learn. In this series we will focus on becoming leaders who understand timing and learn to do things at the right time.
We gain perspective on this from Solomon’s reflections in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. He has made everything beautiful in its time.” What do these verses teach us about timing?
Timing involves everything.
Solomon observes that there is “a time for everything.” There is nothing “under heaven” that is not affected by timing. In every area of our lives, including our leadership, timing is critical. Notice that Solomon does not say there is time for everything. Not everything can be done but everything that needs to be done can be done at the right time. It’s all a matter of timing. Servant leaders recognize that there is a time for work and a time to relax; a time for family and another for ministry; time for movement and a time for waiting. They accept the reality that there is not time for everything but there is a time for all things.
Timing implies exclusivity.
Solomon tells us that there is “A season for every activity” Seasons change with time. It seems obvious that there is a time to plant and a time to reap. But this also implies that there is a season in which it is wrong to plant! There is a time not to do things which at other times may be appropriate. If there is a right time, there is also a wrong time. A great joke told at the wrong time is a disaster. A needed change introduced at the wrong time will not bring the desired results. It’s a matter of timing. Servant leaders look for the right seasons. They know that seasons for leaders are not always as obvious as the seasons for planting. So they seek to develop the ability to discern correct timing.
Timing influences beauty.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” The right timing brings beauty. Wrong timing yields ugliness! In leadership proper timing yields beautiful results while poor timing makes a mess. Servant leaders desire to honor God by showing His beauty in all they do.
Servant leaders desire to do things at the right time. They seek not only to do the right things, but to do them at the best time. They are willing to wait or say “no” when the timing is not right. With time, they gain God’s perspective on timing.
For further reflection and discussion:
- Think about your own life and leadership concerning timing? How effectively have you been at choosing the correct timing in your speaking? Your family? Your work? Your leadership? What can you learn from your reflection?
- Think about an experience you had in which you did the right thing at the right time. What was the result? How did you know the time was right?
- Think about an experience in which your timing was wrong? What was the result? What cause you to miss the right time?
- What “season” are you in right now in your life? In your leadership? For what activity or direction is this the right time?