Too Caught Up in Today to Make a Difference for Tomorrow?

I recently stumbled across the following quote from Pablo Picasso: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” In light of it, I began to consider eternity very seriously and the busyness so many get caught up in. In talking to fellow believers concerning their eternal responsibility to share Christ here and now, the normal response revolves around their lack of time right now because they are so busy.

I have discovered that many believers are too caught up in today to make a difference for tomorrow. The busyness of today has obstructed their vision of what tomorrow really holds. I will serve Christ tomorrow! I will do more for the Lord soon! I will share Jesus more as soon as I get the time.

Sad truth is, time is slipping away so quickly, most never get around to fulfilling their obligation as a follower of Jesus because tomorrow never comes. The tomorrow that does come is spoken of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10, where he sends out this stern warning to all believers: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad” (HCSB).

How many will be standing before Him empty-handed? Will you? You won’t be taking your great riches, your fine auto, your nice home, your big boat or anything else you wasted your life away earning and pleasuring yourself with. All the great times you had enjoying your life will be worthless as you stand before Him to answer for what you did that really mattered.

What does matter? What will matter? What will make a difference? The only thing that matters on that day are the individual people that you shared the message of salvation with. Did you feed the hungry? Did you help the needy? Were you Jesus to others when you were on the earth? That’s it! It doesn’t matter what anyone else did on that day; only what you did will matter.

Many live with the idea that once they have made it in this world, then they can better focus upon the commands of the Lord to be witnesses. Abraham Lincoln said: “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Have you gotten too caught up in today to make a difference tomorrow? We all have a responsibility that will require an accounting. Paul clarifies what it will be like on that day in this way: “each one’s work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 HCSB).

As you consider your future, consider the future that really matters, your eternal future! Don’t allow yourself to get so caught up in the urgency of your life here on this earth; rather, get caught up in the urgency of the mission of winning the lost while you still have time!