Why Wait?

Perhaps you've seen the TV ads regarding anuity  or settlement payouts: "Why wait?  Get your cash - NOW!"  Or, "Receiving a strucured settlement?  Get your cash NOW!"  The idea is that is is oppressive and/or inconvenient to receive monthly payouts, better that you should get all your money today.  After all, who wants a long-term income stream when you can get a lump sum and start your outgo gusher today.  That's not the way they put it but it is what is actually offered: pile of cash to spend now vs stream of income into the future.

This notion of "don't wait, get it NOW!" pervades our media culture, appealing to our impatience.  Need to lose weight?  Don't wait, take this pill and get results "Now!"  Saving for a vacation?  Don't wait, put in on your credit card "Now!"  Trying to build wealth?  Don't wait, come to our casino and win it "Now!"  Trying to get into shape at the gym?  Don't wait, buy our armour clad undergarment "Now!"  Whatever it is that you are working towards, stop working and get it now.

Except that you don't get it now.  You get something else. How do you think those agencies that buy your anuity stay in business?  They buy your anuity or structured payment for a fraction of what they will get by letting it pay them out.  You don't get your money now, you get a portion of it and they get the rest.  How is it that casinos pay out so much money and stay in business?  Because, on the whole, they win and you lose.   How is it that weight loss is a multi-billion dollar business and we are getting fatter?  Because the gimmicks work temporarily but not long-term.  People keep coming back, just like the weight.  Proper nutrition and exercise are a lifestyle choice that create long-term changes.

This "Why Wait?" attitude was the basis of the temptations of Christ in the wilderness found in Matthew 4:1ff.  Jesus was led into the desert and had fasted 40 days.  Satan tempts implying, "You've waited long enough, you're hungry now, turns thes stones into bread."  But Jesus was led into the desert and knew he needed to wait on God.  "Man does not live by bread alone, bu by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (v. 4).

Jesus would grow in popularity, but why wait?  Why not jump from this high place, which will garner you instant fame and following.  Jesus refused to test God (v. 7) as the Father was testing him, proving him as a smelter puts gold or silver through similar fires of testing to bring out its best.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Satan took him to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms under his control and offers them to Jesus "Here and now."  But Jesus knew that no lasting good could come from turning away from The Father of Life and toward The Father of Lies (cf. v. 10).

Jesus wasn't interested in fast, he was working on forever.  To have taken Satan up on his offer of right now would have set him on a path of wrong from them on.  What Satan had in mind was a "play now and pay later" scheme.  It has been a best seller for thousands of years - this despite the fact that it has been a worst procducer all that time.

James gives this encouragement: "Be patient, then, brothers andd sisters...See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable cop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains" (Js 5:7).  Jus' Say'n.