A Cautionary Advice To A Young Man: Be Careful!
Ecclesiastes 8:6
NIV
For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery.
There are things we all wish we knew when we were young; one is timing, the other is procedures or processes! Yes, timing and procedure.
Why didn’t we know these one may ask the answer is simple; we were in a hurry Yes! We’ve heard it from many adults but thought it was a plot to prevent us from airing our views or something like that so paid no attention
Looking back you can tell the difference between those who listened and those who didn’t! The consequences of the decisions we took, and the choices we made in a hurry are now staring at us.
Yes, we can justify why we did this or that then, by pointing to what the writer said “ we were weighed down by misery !”
Yes, we could argue that we had “tears” in our eyes; hence we could not see clearly to make the right choices/decisions.
The reply would be, why don’t you wait for the “tears” to dry so you see clearly?
We can also argue, oh there was no time to talk things over with somebody!
The response would be why don’t you “ sleep “ over it or “ consult your pillow “ as the sages say?
Beloved, if we had learnt not to speak when we are angry, not to act when we were provoked etc we would not be where we are today.
Or had we approached a matter /issue in a certain way things would not be what they are today.
Many are living lives of regret simply because they did not study the time nor adopt the right procedure.
Have you ever been told “You have a good case but how you went about it made it bad”?
Timing and procedure are things we need to learn; they fall under self -discipline and self - restraint; these you learn yourself!
No one can sit you down to teach you; you are your own teacher; circumstances and situations are the tests nature sets for us.
I wish I could write a handout titled “ Teach Yourself Self-Discipline: A Beginner's Guide “!
So the writer is right “ For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, “. The wrong time and procedure will defeat any purpose you plan for yourself.
Think about these.