Is there a Bad Time to do Good Things? (Is it all in the Timing?)

Maybe you've been in a situation like this: You're talking with someone who you know is not a believer, and you think to yourself, "I'd like to start talking with this guy about Jesus, so I can witness to them, but I'm concerned I might bring up Jesus at the wrong time and come off the wrong way." If you've been in that situation like I have, you've probably wondered if the good that you do is only as good as its timing. Is the difference between doing something good and doing something bad really all in the timing?

From a Biblical perspective there is a clear indication that some good things believers do are based on their timing. For example, God commanded the Israelites to honor the Sabbath day by not doing any work on it (Exodus 20:8-11). Just as God rested on the seventh day of creation, so too did He command His creation to rest at the end of the week. If God's followers rested everyday of the week, that laziness would be sin for them, because one who is lazy " in his work is brother to one who destroys" (Proverbs 18:9). Since God's followers were commanded, however, to work for six days and then rest on the seventh, those who honor this command are dilligent souls that are fully satisfied (Proverbs 13:4b).

As the wisdom of Ecclesiastes says, "There is a time for everything" (3:1a). So, is witnessing for Christ something that is also dependent on its timing? It may seem that way, considering that the wisdom of Ecclesiastes says there is "a time to be silent and a time to speak" (3:7b).

No matter what a Christian's timing, though, Christians should
keep in mind their time on earth is running out. In Ephesians it is written
"make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" (5:16).

When Jesus told His disciples to begin doing the good work of witnessing for His namesake, He told them to go to "all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). With this great commission, Jesus did not give any time constraints on witnessing. From this command, it appears witnessing for Jesus is encouraged at all times all the way up until the very end of time.

The disciples who heard this command knew its meaning, and the book of Acts tells how they took advantage of nearly every moment to witness. In Acts chapter 8 there is a story where the disciple Philip is led by an angel to an Ethiopian reading the book of Isaiah. Philip, without introduction, asks the Ethopian if he understands what verses he is reading, and then he explains those verses to the Ethopian. It is written, "Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus" (Acts 8:35). In no time at all, Philip brings him and the Ethiopian's impromptu conversation directly to the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As they are travelling, the Ethiopian comes across some water and tells Philip, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?" (Acts 8:36). Philip then baptizes him right there and then. That's rather quick timing. It might be that the good Philip did was dependent on his timing, but one thing is certain that this good story would not have happened if Philip wasted his time and did not witness.

A depiction of Philip and the Ethiopian

Sometimes the good we do is dependent on our timing, but when it comes to witnessing, that does not seem to be the case. Many times what makes doing something good into something bad is not a matter of timing but motivation. When Judas sinned by saying that Mary should not have poured perfume on Jesus' feet but rather should have sold it and given the money to the poor, the sin behind his words was not in his timing but in his prideful motives (John 12:1-8). Even so, what can be done with evil motivations, God can still use for good (as seen in Genesis 50:20).

How then should believers witness? Since our hope is in Jesus Christ, we should be very bold; bold enough that we can come before the God of all creation without shame (2 Corinthians 3:12). Paul, a very bold witness for Christ, summed up his hope for witnessing this way, "that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should" (Colossians 4:3-4). Paul also told the believers listening to him, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Colosians 4:5-6). Concerning timing, Christians should make the most of every opportunity they have to witness. 

One final word on witnessing: Peter writes this to followers of Christ like us, "In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil" (1 Peter 3:15-17).

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• What does the Bible say about the Sabbath?
• What does the Bible say about Witnessing?