I sometimes wonder what determines whether a decision is the right one or not. I suppose it depends on the prism through which you are peering at that decision. Victory or defeat, success or failure – these things have the ability to change shape when viewed through the lens of time. What looks like a smart move today may turn out to be a foolish decision in ten years. What looks like a false move today may end up being the perfect step for the moment. Hindsight is 20/20.

Not that we can blame or credit anyone for unforeseen circumstances that define their lives. Time can make a fool of anyone. That is why the famous Bible writer says “all is vanity”. That saying refers to the ungraspable nature of our lives, just like smoke. It is not for lack of effort that many are unsuccessful. The unpredictable turn of events that come with time may vilify or commend our choices to future generations. And posterity will view us through lens that are yet to be made.

For me, this line of thinking has two implications. The first is that we must all learn to live in the moment. I do not mean live for today, I mean live today. We all should live for purposes that are greater than ourselves, and if possible contribute to the advancement of humanity in whatever possible. But as we do so, we must not become too absorbed in what lies ahead to the point of forgetting what is right before us. The reward of living is in the moment. Nothing else is guaranteed.

The second implication is that we should seek God’s guidance in all we do. Our knowledge is limited, confined to the limits of historical and current information accessible to us. The future is unknown and unpredictable. And what is unknown cannot be leveraged in decision-making. Only time will reveal whether a bet paid off, or if the timing of an idea was right. But those who follow the wisdom of God in ordering their lives will find that their lives reflect the best possible outcomes under any given circumstances.

Closing thoughts: give your best in all you do. We do not know what part of our lives will be amplified, or what parts will be condensed. Neither do we know what will succeed or what will fail. What matters is that we give our best at whatever we do, not complaining, grumbling, or murmuring. As the Bible says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Eccl. 9:10). Thanks for coming by today. See you in the next blog post!