Recently I saw a meme that went around social media that caught my attention. This one I even “liked” when a few people I know posted it. It looks like this:

For some reason, the statements’ sentiment appeared to ring true, but I could not just let it go. I kept thinking about it until I figured out what was wrong. The statements do not reflect how life works, especially in the eyes of a follower of Jesus.

Most of the time, being undisciplined is easy. Anyone can do it. It does not become hard until down the road, and you need the advantages that being disciplined alone can bring. Skipping exercise every day is easy. Sleeping in is terrific, but down the road, maybe in 40 or 50 years, you will want the benefits that a lifetime of good health will bring, and only then will life be hard. The real issue is not choosing which hard life you will lead. The question is, will you lead a comfortable life now that will turn out to be hard later or a hard life now that will have benefits further down the road? No one has difficulty choosing which hard thing they will do. People have trouble deciding if they want an easy life now, knowing the dangers lie ahead in the distant future.

Every day and every week we wake up, we have a choice. Will we pay the price today knowing the rewards will come later, or will we take it easy today and pay the price somewhere down the road? I believe this is true in this life and in the one to come.