I'm reminded today of how much we put off because we don't really feel the true weight of putting things off.
"I'll get to that eventually," we reason.
"They'll always be around for when I'm not so busy," we conclude.
"It's not that it isn't a priority, but..." we rationalize.
We are urgency killers.
Strangely enough, we say we value the chance to go on an adventure, grab new opportunities, leap over new hazards and find ways to win in what matters most.
In my circle over the past few weeks I've seen people near me lose loved ones and have to endure funerals. Half of these passings were a "surprise," while others were "expected."
Then again - as someone shared with me last night - we all know we're dying from the moment we learn what death is, from a very young age. It's not a surprise even though we don't know how to expect it.
Sorry for being candid about this.
All of this hit me today as I'm pondering what message will come out of me this weekend at Connection Church... shall I speak with urgency - which we are all rather tempted to sidestep - or shall I speak soothing words that provoke security.
Hmm... "security."
which then leads me to ask questions about what really matters most.
Do you know what really matters most?
Is it life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Is it a kid-centered home life where we let the loudest words and longest sighs of our kids determine what matters?
Is it a sense of security?
Helen Keller observed, "Security is mostly a superstition... Avoiding danger is no safer than in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
If eternity is real... if there really is a heaven...
if we really do believe that there's more to life than a sense of security...
than a sense of urgency would really be our only option.
We'd have to care about deeper things.
We'd have to rethink where we've stopped short.
We'd have to confront our true selves in the mirror.
We'd have to have an eye-to-eye with our real calling.
You know what...
never mind...
there's probably something else you can focus on instead.
Move along...
move along.
P.S. Or... J U M P
