| Do not boast about tomorrow … |
| —from Proverbs 27:1 |
In our lives, “tomorrows” play a significant role. I can remember as a child always looking forward to something that would happen in the future. My dad used to tell me:
“Son, don’t wish your life away.”
In other words, don’t focus so much on what will happen in the future that you miss what’s happening right now in the present. That was actually good advice then, and it’s still good advice.
Nevertheless, we all spend time thinking about tomorrow and what might happen in the future. During certain times of the year, we look forward to celebrating holidays. I still can hardly get my mind around the fact that, in our culture of today, Christmas decorations, even visits from Santa Claus, now come in late October, or even earlier. It’s as if we can’t wait even a few weeks anymore. We have to begin focusing on what’s coming as early as possible. “Tomorrow” plays such an important part in most of our lives.
Do you know the song “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie? It’s actually quite a delightful song, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Here are a part of the lyrics: 1
The sun will come outTomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There’ll be sun!
Just thinkin’ about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
’Til there’s none!
When I’m stuck with a day
That’s grey,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh
The sun will come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
’Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!
You’re always
A day
Away!
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!
You’re always
A day
Away!
In contrast with our natural human interest in “tomorrow,” King Solomon offers these wise words, found in Proverbs 27:1:
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
As we begin another new day, let’s stay focused on today. Tomorrow will eventually come. But, until it does, we need to stay in the here and now. For right now is when we have the most opportunity to impact someone else’s life. We should not squander that opportunity because we’re focusing too much on tomorrow.
| 1 Strouse, Charles (music) and Charnin, Martin (lyrics). “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie (1977). New York: Edwin H. Morris and Company (c/o Kobalt Music Pub America Inc.) and Charles Strouse Publishing (c/o Wc Music Corp), 1977. Please note that, in each case, whenever citation of any Copyrighted material is made within a post on this blog, such citation is made strictly for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder. |
