How does 2 Samuel 18:20 illustrate the importance of God's timing in communication? Setting the Scene in 2 Samuel 18:20 “ But Joab said, ‘You are not the man to take good news today. You may take good news another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.’ ” • Ahimaaz longs to run with news of the battle. • Joab forbids him, discerning that David, still raw with grief, cannot yet handle the message. • The verse highlights a clear distinction: a true report may be accurate, yet the moment for sharing it can still be wrong. The Principle: Timing Matters • God’s truth never changes, yet He weaves it into specific moments (cf. Galatians 4:4, “when the fullness of time had come”). • Joab shows sensitivity to David’s emotional state, illustrating that wise servants consider not only what God has done but also when to announce it. • The verse therefore models restraint—not withholding truth, but waiting for God-appointed timing. Lessons for Our Communication Today • Speak truthfully, but gauge the listener’s readiness. • Recognize that even “good news” can wound if shared at an ill-chosen moment. • Refusal to rush a message is not cowardice; it is obedience to God’s ordering of events. • Discernment often comes through prayer and counsel, just as Joab evaluated the situation before deciding. Other Scriptural Witnesses to Timely Speech • Ecclesiastes 3:7 — “a time to keep silent and a time to speak.” • Proverbs 15:23 — “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!” • James 1:19 — “Everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” • John 16:12 — “I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.” • Esther 4–5 — Esther waits for the second banquet before revealing Haman’s plot. Practical Takeaways • Test every impulse to speak against Scripture and the Spirit’s prompting. • Consider the hearer’s spiritual and emotional condition before sharing weighty information. • Trust that delaying a message, when led by God, preserves both the integrity of truth and the welfare of those who receive it. |
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