Boast Not Thyself of Tomorrow

Solomon gives this advice in the book of Proverbs “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring”.

I learned the lesson that there is no tomorrow when I was a young boy. My love of boiled peanuts would drive me to a local store. One day the owner had posted a sign that read “Peanuts fifteen cents today ten cents tomorrow”. Upon reading the sign I decided to wait until the next day to make my purchase.

The next day I went to the store and presented my dime to the owner for a bag of peanuts. He looked at my dime and said “Son read the sign.” Once again I read the sign “Peanuts fifteen cents today ten cents tomorrow”. As I pondered on what I had just read it came to me, there is no tomorrow only today.

It is a lesson we should all learn. We only have today. We need to make plans for the future but live our lives as if this were the last day we had.

Jesus tells about the rich man that was very successful and produced an abundance of crops. Having his barns full he decided he would build bigger barns and live a life of ease. He would eat, drink, and be merry because he had plenty for years to come.

God said to him “Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided”?

Striving to gain the material things of this world without having your priorities in the right place is foolish. You should put God first in your life, your family second then your work.

How many times have I heard that mantra from people who proclaim that to be true in their lives but their lives do not proclaim it? I can not begin to say. Many say it but few truly live it.

How much time have you spent today reading and studying the bible? How much time have you spent in prayer? What did you pray for? Did you petition God to do something for you so you could be “successful” or did you pray for Him to use you for his glory?

We take the time to set goals and work to achieve them in our secular life but often do not give thought to setting goals and striving to meet them in our spiritual lives. Which one do you think is the most important?

We should teach our children the importance of growing spiritually as well as physically and mentally. When is the last time you restricted your child for not studying their Sunday school lesson? How much time do you spend teaching them the rules from the bible compared with teaching them the rules of football, baseball or some other game? How much time do you spend with your family? Do you use the excuse that once you have achieved a certain goal you will spend more time with them? You may never have that chance. Do not neglect your family. You have heard the old story “I never heard anyone on their death bed say they wished they had spent more time on their job”.

Each day God gives us should be used to serve Him in some way. Take the time to help someone in need. Take time to let people know that you love them. Do something for someone even though they don’t deserve it. Let Holy Spirit lead you in serving God every day.

Do not boast about what you have planned for tomorrow. Instead do as James instructs in his letter, say if the Lord allow I will live and do this or that. Determine to use each day serving him and laying up treasure in heaven.

Do not plan for tomorrow but plan for eternity. Know that the Lord Jesus Christ is your personal savior and live you life serving God. Great will be your reward for your faithfulness.

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