One More Day
Read: Matthew 6:31-34
After someone passes away, those closest to them often say, “I wish I could spend just one more day with them.” They aren’t greedy, they don’t want to live a whole new lifetime with them; they only want one more day. I imagine that during that day, all other worries, cares, and concerns would slip away; the only thing that would matter would be making the most of their final chance to spend a few hours with their loved one. They would ignore phone calls, text messages, and emails. They wouldn’t care if the house was dirty or if the laundry wasn’t folded. All those worries would still be there tomorrow.
Jesus gives us similar advice in today’s passage, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6:34, NRSV). Sometimes, we neglect the most important things—spending time with loved ones, playing with our kids or pets, taking care of our own spiritual care and mental health, reaching out to friends and neighbors—for worries that will still be there tomorrow.
Simplicity is about far more than material possessions: it is also about simplifying your time. What really needs to get done today, and what can wait until tomorrow? Simplify your life by choosing the most important things, those intangible experiences and opportunities to show love and be loved. At the end of your life, make sure you aren’t the one wishing you had “just one more day.”