If you watch children play and make choices, you’ll be pleasantly surprised about the choices they make. Most seem to opt for the instant gratification option rather than the option that can meet medium to longer-term needs or simply one with the higher value.
Adults who are more matured and wiser are perplexed by this most rash and mundane choice, which often completely discount the future.
By the grace of God, once you’ve lived long enough and hopefully become wiser through experience, -notice I didn’t say more knowledgeable. Expanding the mind is a good thing. However, becoming wiser is a more desirable thing. Be diligent in seeking to be wiser. How to be wiser – experience and studying the lives of those who have walked with God. Why that. Only God gives wisdom. Having a great deal of regard for God and His word gives wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the holy one leads to good judgement.”
As you become wiser, your choices should be precipitated by the past, the present and the future. I firmly believe God does this. In fact, the past, present and future are one to Him. The Bible says “He inhabits eternity, declaring the end from the beginning. So His judgments and decision are always right. Imagine for a minute you know what lies ahead tomorrow and the well after and month after, you get the picture. What will your decisions be today? Would you have enough discipline and self-control to opt for what makes a better future for you or sacrifice your present self as a result of the momentary pleasure?!
In John chapter 6, Jesus spoke in a way that can be truly described as puzzling and mysterious about the future, not just 5, 10 or -1,000 years from now but beyond that.
He prevailed on His disciples and religious leaders of the day to make choices that guarantee eternal life – John 6:26-27