I'll Take Ten Tomorrow

Read: James 1:12-17

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.                                                                      James 1:15

     You could probably predict the answer that most kids would give if you asked them if they would rather have two pieces of candy today or ten tomorrow. Most would rather take the smaller amount today because it is instantly gratifying. They don’t have to wait for tomorrow to begin enjoying the sweet taste of that candy. They don’t realize that they could have so much more if they could only put off their desires for a short time. I asked that same question of my son Jackson the other day, and his response surprised me. He had just eaten a piece of candy so he still had its sweetness on his taste buds. Without any actual candy in my hand, I asked him if he would take two pieces now or ten tomorrow. His maturity stunned me when he said he would take the ten pieces tomorrow. A couple minutes later, I grabbed some chips from the cupboard. As he watched me eat them, I posed the same question to him. I held a chip in front of him, and I asked, “Do you want this chip now, or do you want five tomorrow.” He said, “I want that chip now.”

     Most young people do not live with a view toward the future, physically or spiritually. They are enamored by the temptations Satan puts in front of them, and they feel that they have to be instantly gratified by latching onto them. Many of the “lustful” sins are this way. Impurity, inappropriate behavior toward young ladies, pornography – all promise instant gratification, but they give no satisfaction months or years down the road.

     I realized two things by the way that Jackson answered those two questions put forth to him in two different scenarios. First of all, he didn’t need anything sweet right then because he already had a piece of candy in his mouth. When we become so filled with the sweetness found in the Word of God and in counsel from parents and counselors, the “sweetness” the devil places in front of us just doesn’t seem quite as appealing. It allows us to see to the future and to look to a time when we can enjoy the pleasures that God can give us within the bounds of His Word. Secondly, when he saw the chips, his mature logic went out the window. The devil will place things in front of you based on what he knows you would want in that instant. Don’t be fooled by his bribery. Taste the sweetness found in the things God offers you, and hold out for the beautiful future He has for you.

Quote of the day: “He who would not eat the forbidden fruit must stay away from the forbidden tree.”