Procrastination … Ugh!

If not now, then when? (And how did you just answer that question?)

 

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes

and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35 NIV

 

I had a thought I wanted to write about for some time … but I put it off.

Just kidding. I actually had it in mind last night and am getting right on it. (But in terms of my ‘procrastination statistics’ I probably am right about in the middle of the field.

“Why do today what can be put off until later?” we ask. We might be prioritizing by moving our agenda around. Of we may simply be lazy or wanting to be lazy at the moment. But Jesus has something to say about this way of dealing with life.

While on their way back to Jerusalem (one of their normal environments), Jesus and his disciples traveled through Samaria. There Jesus ministers to a woman in such a way that she becomes convinced that He is a prophet.

Her testimony back in town incites a revival and people flock to Jesus for spiritual teaching.

The disciples seem aghast that Jesus would minister to these outsiders, but they spend the next two days in just such a ministry.

Jesus is challenging them. His point is that none of us should assume we have little to do at this moment. He’s talking evangelism. Why wait to get back to Galilee to heal hurting hearts. There are broken people right here in front of us. And it’s a point to be made.

But we could ask similar questions, like:

  • Why wait to evangelize your children, when their hearts are open today?
  • Why put off getting out of debt when it’ll only be harder later?
  • Why keep gaining weight when it’s tougher to lose 50 pounds than 10?
  • Why are we waiting for the New Year to begin the exercise we really need now?
  • Why are you procrastinating starting that book you’ve kept inside you since high school?
  • Why keep waiting for anything that could and should be dealt with now?

Things we put off are seldom helped by postponing them.

And back to evangelism, there could be people who need your testimony or your giving or your involvement in their spiritual journey who may not have much time left. Don’t procrastinate!

“God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time …

Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late …”

 II Corinthians 6:2 The Message

 

 

 

 

 

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