A Timely Word

by Tim Keller, Lead Pastor

Have you ever been impressed by the fact that so many television characters seem to be able to speak the perfect line at the perfect time? A co-worker makes an observation about the boss and the star rolls her eyes and says something witty, clever and funny. The character playing the president or the vice-president always communicates so flawlessly when behind a microphone. There are never the stumbles and bumbles that plague our real-life leaders.

We love the timely word. You know, the sentence spoken at just the right time with the right inflection so that it feels as if a scriptwriter is actually responsible for it. This is essentially because a scriptwriter was responsible for it.

Spoiler alert – Characters on television programs aren’t real!

What God offers us through the ministry of Holy Spirit is something so special that it almost defies belief. Through the power of God’s Spirit we are offered the opportunity to speak the “timely” word.

This word isn’t for the purpose of a “drop the mic” moment or to get in the final word in an argument. It also isn’t designed for the purpose of being funny or displaying how brilliant we are by accurately summarizing a conversation in a remarkably pithy fashion.

No, the timely word spoke of the by the author of Proverbs is timely in a good way. It is the right words, spoken at the right time, with the right empathy. It is the gentle reminder to the anxious of God’s ultimate control. It is the spoken idea to the over-achiever that God’s love cannot be earned and is definitely not deserved.

It’s timely in a good way. It is the sunscreen discovered at the bottom of your beach bag on your way to the shore. It’s the coupon for a free Dunkin coffee you found in your car on a -5 below January morning. It’s the encouraging note from a congregant telling you how great your sermon was the day before when you felt as if it was your worst one ever.

The really cool thing about the timely word from God is that it isn’t pre-planned like the script of that television show. Holy Spirit drops it in at just the right time without hours of preparation and planning. It just “comes into your head” and you speak it out loud. Then, the recipient stands amazed at how impactful a word it was.

That’s the timely word that comes from Holy Spirit and flows across your lips to the ears of a person itching to receive it. All that is needed is a listening ear and a mouth that is tuned into the frequency of obedience.

Right now there is someone in your life that could really use a timely word. It might be a warning or a timely passage of scripture that God uses in the moment to bless, teach or heal. Open your ears to His voice and then commit to speaking, writing, or expressing in some other way the timely word from God.