The third chapter of Ecclesiastes declares: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. The author then lists fourteen pairs of diametrically opposed activities. Examples include: A time to live and die, plant and uproot, weep and laugh, mourn and dance, scatter and gather, and tear and mend.

The Preacher’s words inspired a list of my own which I have shared over the past two weeks.

There is a time to turn off your cell phone. Turn off your cell phone in a restaurant. Turn off your cell phone in church. Turn off your cell phone in a hospital. Turn off your cell phone during a funeral. (True story—I attended a funeral where a person ANSWERED his cell phone during the service!)

There is a time to call another person’s phone. Call after 8:00 a.m. Call before 9:00 p.m. Don’t call during mealtime. Any questions?

There’s a time to text. Don’t text and drive. Don’t text while others are speaking to you—or you to them. Don’t text on a date. Don’t text when you are with real people beside you. Don’t text during a sermon! 🙂

There’s a time to turn off the TV. Turn off the TV when a family member wants to talk. Turn off the TV when company visits. Turn off the TV during meal time. Turn off the TV when nothing worth watching is on—which is most of the time.

There’s a time to be intolerant. Don’t tolerate bigotry. Don’t tolerate misogyny. Don’t tolerate child abuse. Don’t tolerate mediocrity. Don’t tolerate intolerance.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. And the time is now.