Long Term Thinking

“I want what I want when I want it” has been said before by Pastor Steve. Not because he thinks that way, but rather because he refers to that as the way the world thinks. I have touched on this subject before by condemning the problem of instant gratification in our world. People will get into debt to have things now rather than delay those desires until they can either afford them or realize they do not really want/need them. This time I would like to discuss how the problem of short-term thinking is negatively affecting our lives and the lives of future generations. Many people who demand peace now among our militaries are unknowingly willing to jeopardize the lives of future generations by ignoring the rising threats from our enemies. People will vote for officials who will help them now over someone who wants to make the future better for our children and grandchildren. We need leaders who know that sometimes we have to give up something now so that future generations will not have to. We need to work hard planting seeds so that our future generations will reap from the harvest (2 Cor. 9:6). It takes selflessness, which is not a common trait now days. This short term thinking is putting us into a rat race that we cannot seem to get out of easily. Yet we have done it to ourselves. Why would we want to create mountains in our lives to climb when there are already plenty of them out there that life throws at us? Here is why: because I’d much rather climb the mountains so that my children do not have to. Today our Nation battles terrorism that should have been dealt with in the past, but our former leaders had selfishly chosen to avoid conflict rather than temporarily inconvenience them to do what was right. Doing what is right is rarely convenient. So what can we do now? We need to ask ourselves: is what we are doing going to impact where we are 5-10-20 years from now? Is there something I could be doing to improve where I/ my family/ my country will be in 5-10-20 years from? Is the way life has been the past generation the way I want our future generations to be? Or should I be doing something to ensure things will be better? The next time you struggle over a decision, just think of how many people that decision will effect. If it only affects you, then it is probably a short term and selfish decision. Only proceed with the decisions that will positively affect numbers of people. This applies for the actions that governments take, that business owners take, that parents take, etc. Make sure you are making decisions based on the long term rather than the short term. I am not talking about hoarding up various kinds of insurance, preparing for the worst of what could happen in the future. I am talking about preparing for the best to come, and then taking action to make it happen. In doing so, you will feel better about yourself, and futures lives will be better off as well.