Enjoy today, tomorrow may be too late

Dr Frederic Loomis was a busy man for twenty-one years, completely devoted to his patients and their problems with no time for a life of his own. One day he received a letter from one of his former patients stating that she had recovered completely under his care, but could not help noticing the time and energy he spent in the hospital. She advised him to take some time off to rejuvenate.

The doctor thought about it seriously and decided to go on a vacation, still thinking that the activities in the hospital will be in disarray, his patients will suffer and there will be utter chaos. But on his return, he found that there were just as many patients as there were when he left, many of them had recovered fast or faster, and most of them were not even aware of his absence. He felt it very humiliating to find how quickly and completely one’s place is filled and, that no one is indispensable in this world. He wrote the book In a Chinese Garden: Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think, explaining how it altered his way of life. With this, he influenced the lives of those around him.

Zac Poonen, in his sermon ‘Recognise that you are not indispensable’, says: “No one is indispensable in Christ’s church. God’s work can easily carry on without us. In fact, it can carry on much better without the help of those conceited folk who consider themselves indispensable! I once read of a prescription to humble the soul of anyone who considers himself “indispensable” It was suggested that he fill a bucket with water and put his hand in it up to his wrist — and then pull it out. The hole that remains in the water will be a measure of how much he will be missed when he is gone! Our gifts are useful to the church, but no one is indispensable.”

Let us realise that no one is indispensable and, fade graciously into the background to allow someone else who may do better than us to take over. Meanwhile, take the time off for fulfilling those small dreams, which we had been putting off for later and may never materialise. Therefore, enjoy yourself today, as tomorrow may be too late.