The Southern Bell Company has a policy of recording every minute that an employee is late for work.  They have an occasional fifteen minute break. If one comes back late, this is also put on permanent record.

     When people realize that a certain thing is to go down on a permanent record against them, they are very careful to keep this record clean. Regardless of how early or late in the day one is to report for duty, he is nearly always on time.  Why?  His record is involved.  It might mean difficulty in holding his present job or in obtaining  another one.

     In the assembly of the saints, there is a habitual tardiness with some. In many congregations one can tell when the second song should  start. Brother X has just arrived.  Many do not have any set time for coming. Maybe they come after the first song or the second or in the middle of the class period.  Others have the evil habit of coming after half of the morning service is over.  They miss the first half and try to fill up on the second half.  The first hald (the class period) is not just for the children.  It is equally as important for the adults

     No one in the congregation sits with a pen and paper to keep a permanent record of tardiness.  However, God does have a record of our interest.  Would you have more concern for your work than you do for the Lord?  Could be that you do.  One is usually more concerned about being prompt at work than worship.  More concerned with man's record than the record that God keeps.

     Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins, who went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five were wise and carried extra oil with their lamps. Five were foolish, they carried no extra oil.  They all slept until a cry was made, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."  The virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  But, lo, five of them were out of oil.  While they went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Those who were prepared went in with him.  The foolish came later, but too late the door was shut.

     The Lord's conclusion is: "WATCH, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Mt. 25:13).  Peter exhorts us to give diligence.to make our calling and election sure.  (2 Pet. 1:10). This involves the whole of a Christian's life.  There are many things tht are incongruous with giving diligence.  Habitual tardiness is one of them. Let us do everything possible to insure an ample supply of oil in anticipation of the Bridegroom's coming.  (This article appeared in the Sword of Peace).

     The above article is one of the best I have seen on the subject of tardiness and neglectful indifference.  (I said that forty years ago, I had only been trying to preach about ten years at that time, JWS).  I recommend it to each and every Christian that claims to be a child of God.  How often are you late to your work dear brother or sister?  How often are you late to school young people?  I would not want a person on my payroll that was habitually tardy in his coming to work would   you?  Well, do we respect the Lord less than we do men?

     I have often noticed people coming in late for Bible study or worship service and barge right on in while singing is in progress, having no respect for those that are trying to sing praises to God and to admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.  The same people would not think of coming on in while prayer is being offered.  Tell me brethren which is more important; singing praises to Almighty God or praying to Him?  To me, one is as important as the other.  I know that it is distracting to the song leader to try to keep the song service going along smoothly while people are barging in and distracting the audience, but try to continue the best you cn to keep the unity of the song together without breaking the chain of thought that should ensue.

     There are reasons for tardiness, these are acceptable to God.  There are excuses given for tardiness, these are not acceptable to God.  A reason is something that you were unable to avoid in any way.  An excuse is something you use to try and justify yourself in being tardy that you could have, and should have, prevented if you would have.  A tire being flat when you go out to attend services should have been checked long enough ahead of time to have fixed it.  A car not cranking when you go out to go to services should have been checked long enough in advance that a brother could have been called to come by and pick you up.  Brethren are always available and delighted to help those who need a lift to services.

     Some years after writing the above, I and my family moved to Nigeria, West Africa to do some work for the Lord.  While there, the brethren, as they would lead the prayers would always pray the Lord to bless those that were on their way to the services.  But, these brethren that might come in late had to depend on the uncertainty of public transport.  Which might run once a awhile on time but mostly quite late.  The only other way they could get to the sevices was to walk and some of them lived many miles from the building where we met.  But, one thing about those brethren, once they were there it didn't make any difference to them if we stayed at the meeting house three or four hours.