Today … Is Today

Today … is today.

It means on or at the present time; that is, time relative to the clock as well as to history. I’m writing this at or near the 12th hour of this day.  I’m writing at this point in history and many things are happening in the world around me.

For most of us, we get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and repeat.  We vary the day by what we wear, eat, listen to on the radio, and the conversations we have.  For the more energetic, our day is spiced up by the hobbies we enjoy and/or the places we frequent.  Today, we think thoughts, postulate ideas, experience feelings, and do acts of kindness (or meanness).  In sum, what we do to day is what it means to be human.  But in the end …

Today … is today.

The Bible mentions the word “today” over 200 times in the NIV.  Most often, it is simple a time placeholder, designating the occurrence of some act or the intent to do an act.  Sometimes, it is a reminder of the connection between this hour and the sacred calendar.  Generally speaking, it’s not an exciting word–it’s just a useful collection of 5 letters.

Even so, two verse stand out to me today about “today.”  The first is found in Proverbs 22:19, where the writer pens these words: “So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.”  Resisting the temptation to sermonize, I would ask you to pause and chew on the idea that every day is a day to learn or relearn.  Right now, which is the real idea of today, is the time to embrace and excel in what is revealed to you, even you–if you are open to new knowledge.

A second verse is found in Hebrews 3:13.  Here the author encourages us to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”  Until recently, the deep, deep importance of encouragement eluded me emotionally.  To my sincere regret, I’m not always as tuned in to the emotional channel as I should be.  But the fear of death has brought new life to my all-but-drained carcass.

Here’s my learning: encourage others TODAY.  Don’t put it on the to-do list for Thursday at 1:00; it doesn’t work that way.  Don’t wait until you get enough money; it doesn’t cost a single cent, yen, peso, or rupee.  Don’t wait until you feel competent enough.  People will feel encouraged even if you stumble through it, maybe even because you cared enough to stumble through it.

I invite you to, and pardon the now pedestrian phrase,  just do it …

Today.