By Jeff Himmel
as originally published in the January 3, 1999 edition of Life Lines
As a business major in college, I learned a concept called the time value of money. Simply stated, "A dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow." As you know, that marvel we call inflation is constantly eroding the purchasing power of money. You just can't get as much for a dollar today as you could twenty years ago. And a dollar won't buy as much in another twenty years as it does now. So a dollar really is worth more today than tomorrow. What's more, there is investment potential to consider. If I invest a dollar today, it may be worth several dollars in a couple of years. But if I stick it in a jar and bury it in the ground, it will still be only a dollar tomorrow-and because of inflation will actually be worth less. Remember the wicked servant in the parable of the talents? A dollar today is worth more because of what you might be able to do with it.
But I'm not writing to teach a lesson in personal finance. This article isn't about dollars; it's about lives, opportunities, and abilities. It's about what we do for the Master. And I believe the same rule applies: Today is worth more than tomorrow.
Your Bible is worth more today than tomorrow. Oh, it won't be any less important or beneficial in the future. It will always be "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16). But you will become better by reading it now than by putting it off. The sooner you get serious about studying it, the more time you'll have to reap its rewards. Yes, Bible study is work- sometimes hard work. But God tells us to give diligence toward knowing His word (2 Timothy 2:15), and there's no time like the present to get started.
Personal evangelism is worth more today than tomorrow. Sure, it will always be needed. But if you talk to someone about Christ today, you may end up leading them to the Lord. You may end up growing spiritually from the experience. You may end up in contact with other hungry souls. On the other hand, if you wait until tomorrow, the opportunity may pass you by. "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then the harvest comes'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already." (John 4:35).
Concern for godly character is worth more today than tomorrow. Oh, you'll need it tomorrow, rest assured. But if you put off working on godly qualities, you may never get around to it. When we're young, we want to "sow our wild oats" - God can wait. In middle age, we work endlessly to make all the money we can- God can wait. In older age, we want to enjoy our retirement-God can wait. And before we know it, life is over. See? It can happen to anybody! There's no time like the present to begin developing your character. "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the present life, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
Your influence for good is worth more today than tomorrow. "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). Your brethren need to be encouraged now, not later. Struggling Christians need to be uplifted today, not tomorrow. The world needs to see your example of godliness right now, not "someday." The sooner you start working to influence lives for good, the more you can accomplish!
All these things are needful today, not tomorrow. And unless we start on them today, we won't be prepared for tomorrow when it comes. Jesus' stories in Matthew 25 are full of warnings about readiness. The five foolish virgins were left out of the feast because they didn't prepare (vv. 1-13). The one-talent man shunned his duty and wasn't ready for his master's return (vv. 14-30). Those who stood condemned in the picture of the judgment were unprepared for eternity because of what they had failed to do (vv. 41-46).
Yes, the road to Hell is indeed paved with good intentions. And to put off good intentions until we never fulfill them is no better than if we never intended them at all. To quote a friend of mine, "It does no good to be on the right track if your train isn't moving." God wants us to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16). Pure and undefiled religion means doing (James 1:22,27). God assures us that even the smallest things we can do for Christ are valuable (Matthew 10:32). Why wait? "Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). '