Mark Twain gave some advice we accept too readily. "Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off until the day after tomorrow." That's dangerous advice. Yet, we all live by it, almost as a creed, putting off until some distant tomorrow the urgent opportunities the Lord has offered us.

There is an interesting story in the Book of Numbers which describes how the people of Israel, in putting off a decision cost them dearly. The Israelites had left Egypt, and were on the border of Canaan, the promised land. The Lord instructed Moses to send twelve spies into the land, not to determine whether it was possible to invade the land, but to assure the people that the promises which had already been given them, would soon be a reality.

Moses didn't procrastinate. Immediately, he selected twelve strong and trustworthy men, one from each of the twelve tribes, and sent them into southern Palestine. They came back after forty days with their assessments. The majority report of 10 was negative and filled with fear. The minority report, given by Caleb and Joshua, was courageous and daring. Caleb catches our attention and admiration when he says, "we should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it." We admire his promptness, daring and complete lack of procrastination.

Unfortunately, it was not Caleb's minority report which won the day. The fearful majority report appealed to the people. They put off accepting the promise of God. Their actions teach us four valuable lessons about procrastination.

1. PROCRASTINATION IS QUESTIONING IN THE DARK WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED IN THE LIGHT. The Lord's promise had not changed as they camped there on the border of blessing. In the quiet of prayer, the Lord had repeatedly told Moses and the people that he would be faithful to give them the promised land. The majority report brought back by the ten spies left out the truth of that promise and the power offered to back it up. They left out the Lord as the primary fact in the equation of victory.

2. THE SECOND THING THIS ACCOUNT TELLS US IS THAT THINGS BECOME WHAT THEY SEEM. The majority of the Israelites pictured the worst. The report stated: "we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." That's the way they acted and responded. Fear makes us grasshoppers first in our own sight and then in the sight of others.

3. THIRD, CONSIDER THE CONTAGIOUS INFECTION OF PROCRASTINATION. The fear in the ten appealed to the fear in the whole nation.

4. THE FOURTH TRUTH IN THIS ACCOUNT OF ISRAEL'S PROCRASTINATION AWAKENS US TO THE FACT THAT WE CAN MISS GOD'S BEST BY SAYING, "LATER". We can wait so long that we lose our power to say, "NOW". The people of Israel said "NO" to God's promises, and they ended wandering for another thirty-eight years in the wilderness, before they had a new chance to go and possess the promised land.

I want to suggest some questions for each of us to ask ourselves. What would I do today if I knew that success according to God's standards was assured? What would I attempt if I were sure that the Lord would be there with me infusing wisdom, love, courage and boldness? What step of personal growth in faith have I been putting off? What forgiveness needs to be offered to or received from the people in my life? Who needs my love and assurance today in both words and actions? If this were my last day, what would I do?

Let us join the minority report with Caleb and Joshua. Let's go in and possess this year saying with him, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it". LATER? NO! NOW!

Sincerely,


Floyd McPhee