One of the practices that we should consider among those things that can hurt the Lord’s church is that of members who consistently arrive late to the services and activities of the church, thereby setting a bad example before others.

This problem may seem small to some, but when it becomes a habitual practice, it reveals something that may be much deeper: an improper attitude toward God, His church, His Word, and spiritual things. We are not simply talking about arriving five or ten minutes late on an exceptional occasion because of an emergency or circumstance beyond our control. We are talking about those who consistently arrive late, even though they have the ability and means to arrive on time.

Punctuality, by itself, is not the center of our relationship with God. However, the way we manage our time and our willingness to be present when the church assembles can reveal much about our spiritual priorities.

GOD DESERVES THE BEST FROM US

The Bible clearly teaches that God deserves the best from each one of us. The Lord Jesus said:

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

Notice the words “all” and “all your.” God does not desire only a portion of our heart, our time, our strength, or our attention. He deserves our complete devotion.

Paul also wrote:

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

If everything we do should be done for the glory of God, then we need to ask ourselves: Am I giving God the best of my time, my energy, and my willingness?

It is interesting to observe that many people can be extremely punctual for those things they consider important. They arrive early to work, to a medical appointment, for a trip, to a sporting event, or to any activity they consider a priority. However, when it is time to assemble with the church to worship God, some consistently arrive late.

This should cause us to seriously reflect.

If I can arrive at work on time because I consider my work important, why can I not make the same effort to arrive on time to worship my God?

We must not forget that our secular work is temporary, but our service to God has eternal consequences.

Jesus said:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

The kingdom must occupy first place.

WE MUST NOT GIVE GOD OUR LEFTOVERS

In the Old Testament, we find a principle that helps us understand the importance of offering God our best. God rebuked His people because they were offering Him defective and inferior animals.

Malachi 1:6-8 clearly demonstrates the wrong attitude of the people. They were offering God sick, lame, and defective animals.

The principle is very important: God does not deserve our leftovers; God deserves our best.

Although we do not offer animal sacrifices as the Israelites did under the Old Law, we do offer God our lives, our time, our strength, and our service.

Paul exhorted:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Our entire life should be presented as a sacrifice to God.

Therefore, we should ask ourselves:

Am I offering God the best of my time?

Am I offering God the best of my strength?

Am I offering God the best of my willingness?

Am I doing everything possible to be present and participate faithfully when the church assembles?

CONSTANTLY ARRIVING LATE MAY REVEAL A PRIORITY PROBLEM

We must be very careful not to judge a person’s heart simply because he or she occasionally arrives late. There are legitimate circumstances that may prevent someone from arriving on time. An emergency, an accident, an unexpected family situation, a vehicle problem, or some other circumstance beyond our control may cause someone to arrive late. In such cases, we should show understanding.

The problem we are addressing here is habitual and voluntary tardiness—that which occurs because a person does not properly organize his or her time, does not prepare in advance, or simply does not consider arriving on time important.

Jesus taught:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Our habits frequently reveal our priorities.

If we consistently find time for everything else but never seem to have enough time for the things of God, we need to carefully examine ourselves.

Paul wrote:

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

The word “diligence” implies care, attention, and seriousness. The Christian must learn to wisely manage the time God has given him.

OUR EXAMPLE SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WE THINK

Another very important aspect is the power of our example.

Jesus said:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Paul told Timothy:

“Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Our example matters.

The member who constantly arrives late may think:

“I am not doing anything wrong; I was only a few minutes late.”

But we must consider how that behavior may affect others.

The new convert is watching.

The young people are watching.

The children are watching.

The visitors are watching.

The members who are trying to develop good habits are watching.

And, whether we want to admit it or not, our behavior can teach others that being late for the things of God is not important.

This is especially dangerous when parents constantly arrive late with their children. Children may learn that punctuality is important for school and work, but not necessarily for the church.

What are we teaching by our example?

A BAD EXAMPLE CAN DISCOURAGE OTHERS

Paul said:

“Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:13).

He also wrote:

“Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God” (1 Corinthians 10:32).

The Christian must think not only about himself but also about how his actions affect others.

A person may arrive late and think that his tardiness does not affect anyone. But when this happens repeatedly, it can become a negative influence.

Furthermore, when someone enters late during the prayer, preaching, Lord’s Supper, or another act of worship, that person may unnecessarily distract those who are already participating.

This does not mean that the person who arrives late should remain outside or should not participate. It is better to arrive late than not to come at all. But precisely because of this, we should do everything possible to prevent tardiness from becoming a habit.

WHAT ARE WE COMMUNICATING BY OUR TARDINESS?

We must be careful with our actions because they communicate messages, even when we do not say a single word.

Constant tardiness may communicate:

• “The church is not a priority.”
• “I do not need to prepare in advance.”
• “Others can wait for me.”
• “I do not consider it important to participate from the beginning.”
• “I can give God whatever time I have left.”

Perhaps that is not our intention, but our actions can communicate that message.

James 2:18 reminds us that our faith is demonstrated by our works:

“Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Our attitude toward the church’s assemblies can also demonstrate how much we value spiritual things.

THE CHURCH IS PRECIOUS TO GOD

We must remember that the church is not simply a human organization that we attend whenever it is convenient for us.

Christ died for it.

Paul said:

“Which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

Paul also taught:

“Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

If Christ loved the church so much that He was willing to die for it, should we not also demonstrate a deep love and respect for it?

The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), and Christ is its Savior (Ephesians 5:23).

For this reason, when the church assembles to worship God, we should consider that moment extremely important.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says:

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another.”

The church’s assembly is not only about our vertical relationship with God; it also concerns our horizontal responsibility toward our brethren.

My presence may encourage someone. My absence may discourage someone. My punctuality may be a good example. My constant tardiness may be a bad influence.

“BUT GOD KNOWS MY HEART”

Someone might say, “God knows my heart; He knows that I love Him even though I arrive late.”

It is true that God knows our hearts.

1 Samuel 16:7 says:

“For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

But precisely because God knows our hearts, we should be concerned about what our conduct reveals.

We cannot use the fact that God knows our hearts as an excuse to live carelessly.

Jesus said:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

True love for God is manifested through obedience, sacrifice, diligence, and faithfulness.

HOW CAN WE CORRECT THIS PROBLEM?

If we recognize that we are constantly arriving late, what can we do?

1. Honestly Examine Your Priorities

Ask yourself:

Am I really putting God first?

Matthew 6:33 reminds us:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

We cannot correct a problem that we are unwilling to acknowledge.

2. Cultivate a Deeper Love for God

True love produces sacrifice.

Mark 12:30 commands us to love God with our entire being.

When we truly love God, we do not view worship as a burden but as a privilege.

The psalmist said:

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1).

Is that our attitude?

3. Plan Ahead

Punctuality does not happen by accident. It generally requires preparation.

Prepare your clothes in advance.

Organize the things you will need.

Prepare the children ahead of time.

Consider traffic.

Leave home with sufficient time.

Do not plan to arrive exactly at the starting time. Make every effort to arrive a few minutes early.

Proverbs 21:5 says:

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”

Diligence includes good planning.

4. Do Not Allow Secondary Activities to Control Your Spiritual Life

We must learn to say “no” to certain things.

We cannot do everything.

If an activity regularly prevents us from faithfully participating in the work of the Lord, we should reconsider our priorities.

Colossians 3:1-2 says:

“Seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

5. Remember That You Are an Example

Parents, especially, must remember this.

Their children are constantly learning from them.

If parents arrive early, children learn diligence.

If parents constantly arrive late, children may learn that the church and its activities are not a priority.

Paul said:

“Be an example to the believers” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Ask yourself:

What kind of example am I leaving for the next generation?

6. Consider Others

Philippians 2:3-4 says:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself; let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Arriving on time can also be a way of demonstrating consideration for our brethren.

7. Remember the Sacrifice of Christ

When we consider what Christ did for us, our attitude changes.

He left the glory of heaven.

He took the form of a servant.

He lived a perfect life.

He suffered rejection.

He was scourged.

He was crucified.

He shed His blood for us.

Paul said:

“And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Christ gave everything for us.

Should we not, therefore, be willing to give Him the best of our time?

A FINAL EXHORTATION

Brethren, we must not allow a seemingly small practice to become a habit that harms our spiritual lives and our example before others.

I am not saying that a person who occasionally arrives late is unfaithful. Neither am I saying that punctuality is the criterion by which God determines our salvation. Salvation depends upon our faithful obedience to the gospel of Christ and our perseverance in Him.

But we must recognize that constant negligence, lack of preparation, and indifference toward the church’s assemblies can reveal spiritual problems that we need to correct.

Paul wrote:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The word “always” reminds us of the importance of consistency.

He also wrote:

“Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).

The church needs diligent members.

It needs responsible members.

It needs members who love the Lord.

It needs members who love His church.

It needs members who are good examples.

It needs members who can be counted on.

And it needs members who understand that serving God is not something we do when we have time left over; it is a priority of our lives.

Let us remember the words of Jesus:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

May God help us examine our priorities, wisely manage our time, deeply love His church, and always give Him our very best.

Let us not be late for the things of God, because He has never been late for us.

His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

He has been faithful.

He has been good.

He has given us His best.

Now we must ask ourselves: Are we giving Him our best?

May our answer, through our lives and our actions, always be:

“Yes, Lord.”