Cause to Pause

I am currently in a study of the book of John with some friends of mine. We are coming up on chapter 12. Verse 8 is one of those puzzling verses in the bible. In reading Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse, he had this to say:
We need wisdom, when two duties come in competition, to know which to give the preference to, which must be determined by the circumstances. Opportunities are to be improved, and those opportunities first and most vigorously which are likely to be of the shortest continuance, and which we see most speedily hastening away. That good duty which may be done at any time ought to give way to that which cannot be done but just now.

So, basically what Henry is saying is those things which can be done right away, and which if you don’t do them right now the opportunity would be lost, should be done RIGHT NOW. And then, when you have taken care of the things which can only be done now, and are important enough to do now, go back to the long term good you can do. The key is the going back to the long term, harder tasks. Not neglecting them for the immediate.

Henry starts it out with “We need wisdom”. When it comes to today’s busy world with everyone claiming their issue is a crisis, I have just one thing to say to Mr. Henry:
“Preach it, brother. Preach it.”