Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
—Proverbs 27:1
All of us stand precariously between past and future, and so, many respond to this unsteady state by seeking false stability. We may try to protect ourselves with wealth or excessive activity or living in denial, but all of this, no matter what the form, is defensive in nature. We look to the future with a fear-filled heart, seeking a false security when, in fact, we do not know if the next minute will be our last: “For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
The man who puts his faith in God does not need to address the future with anything but hope. Jesus summarizes this attitude in the Sermon on the Mount: “So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31–33).
The way we deal with the present moment should tell us everything we need to know about the condition of our faith. Are we fear-driven, thus missing the opportunities before us, or do we engage in the moment, letting the hand of God lead us forward to the next day and all the days beyond?
—Eric Kampmann, Signposts