Crystal Ball

I've got a relative who is a doctor.  He's well respected and very good at what he does.  Not too long ago, he and I were in a meeting with several other people.  As he was discussing his medical practice, the good doctor said, "Contrary to what some people may think, I don't have a crystal ball.  I don't know exactly what's going to happen with patients and their health."

The doctor was humbly admitting a simple truth : The future is a mystery to us human beings.  We are not certain what will take place tomorrow and the days after that.  Sure, we can make plans and have hopes for what will take place after today, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that; however, none of us knows with total confidence what is waiting around the corner.

Proverbs 27:1 states "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."  James 4:14 also drives this point home with the following words : "you do not even know what will happen tomorrow."  In the Old Testament and the New, we are reminded that if any of us thinks we know what the future holds, we are only kidding ourselves. 

What is it that you need to be doing?  Maybe it's one of the following:  (1) Get right with God.  (2)  Repair a relationship with a relative or friend.  (3)  Lose weight and improve your overall physical health.  (4)  Organize and improve your financial situation.  (5)  Make a positive impact with your career.  Or maybe it's something else.

Whatever it is that you need to be doing, just remember this :  Life is unpredictable and uncertain, and that's why you need to maximize the moment and seize the day.  Prioritize your life and begin focusing on those things which are the most significant.  Do something with your life and make it count.  Don't put the important stuff off for a later date.  Refuse to procrastinate with significant life matters.  Why?  Because you may not have a chance tomorrow, and you may not even have a tomorrow.

My relative is right.  He doesn't have a crystal ball that provides a glimpse into the future.  And neither do we.  Only God knows the future, and we're not God.  Because of that, let's value every day, live with a sense of urgency, and take care of those things which matter most. 

Don't be too certain about the future.  Just be sure you do everything you can today.  That, my friends, is smart living.