Make the Choice for Now

“In a minute.” I live in a house where this phrase is used with ease and comfort – and usually to mean that I never have an intention of doing what is being asked . . . in a minute, an hour, or ever.

My children do it. I will ask them to fulfill a chore or to do me a favor and I will hear the words tumble out of their mouth even before the request is complete. I know they are not listening and I also know that they will not follow through.

My husband does it. He will be scanning Facebook for the latest content curation idea, or playing Plants vs. Zombies – I am never sure which but will always default to the work impression because he made me feel guilty when I mentioned he was playing. He will answer with the phrase and I know that when the battery runs out he will get to it if he remembers the request.

I do it. I spill out that phrase without thinking and it pours over my children who have started to respond to each other (when they think I am no longer able to hear them) “that is just mommy code for no.” I throw it at my husband because his request can never be as important as my own. I hold it up to God, because what God wants from me can, in no way, be of more importance than what I want from me.

Three little words that hold the power of obedience in them. “In a minute.”

One of the parables of Jesus talks about the man with two sons – the first said “no” but then went and did what was expected. The second said “in a minute” but never did it.

More often than not, I am that second son. I want to do better in my life. I want to be a blessing to my Father. But I want to do what I want to do even more.

Choose Now

– it can wait. The book that I am reading or the show that I am watching (yes, even football) can wait. People are not supposed to have to wait. I am designed for relationships. I am not designed for entertainment.

– it will not be the end. Stopping to fulfill the request, or stepping up to do what I know to do will not be the end all of my existence – especially when I remember that I am designed for eternity and this is but a breath of that existence.

– it will always be better. When I choose to invest in others and I choose to be obedient to God then it will always be better than when I choose to be selfish.

– it will never come around again. Right now is all I have. If I choose to let it go then it is gone. If I put the game before my child then the next time it may be my child putting the game before me.

It goes by so fast – it may turn out that I have no minute to waste.