In Spanish, the term por la mañana conveys that whatever we’re contemplating can wait until the morning! Culturally, we find that our neighbors in Central and South America appear to have a more laid-back approach to life in general.
Having a Mañana Mentality can have its advantages and its drawbacks. There’s more to this than simply long siestas and putting off for tomorrow that which we might accomplish today.
As a young boy, I spent several years on my grandparents’ farm, and our daily pattern was to take a long nap after lunch in the hottest part of the day in South Central Texas. I learned the importance of rest, but then we would follow that rest with getting back in the field or whatever other task we needed to accomplish on that particular day.
Yes, there were some afternoons spent fishing in the creek a half-mile away. Then again, we would clean our catch and Grandma would prepare a delightful meal.
Some things may well be best handled in the early hours when we are fresh and attentive to the task at hand. Yet we need to be cautious to not get caught putting off tasks indefinitely.
Our attitude can easily become “Why rush a project when we can relax and take our sweet time?” Unfortunately, tomorrow can turn into next week, next month, next year and possibly never.
My clients always seem to appreciate their business being completed on a timely basis. Yes, there can be delays in completing tasks, but such delays need to be communicated to the client to show our concerns to complete the work as promised.
As followers of Christ, we are instructed by Paul in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
Paul certainly did not have a Mañana Mentality. He was passionate about serving his Lord and we need to do the same.
Yet, while we are in this world we need to be diligent in all we do. We certainly don’t want to be seen as lazy and lethargic. We need to demonstrate the Joy of the Lord and live our lives in a way that pleases Him. He wants us to actively pursue Him and draw near to Him in all aspects of our lives, which includes loving others and putting their needs above our own needs.
In Romans 13:10-12, Paul concludes “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because your salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
We need to get out of our slumber and focus on our Lord and being the best possible stewards of all He has bestowed on us. His blessings are countless and we need to wake up and see that the Day of Salvation is at hand.
Don’t put it off until tomorrow! Mañana may be too late!
Passages to Ponder
— Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent in Santa Barbara. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his personal relationship with God, and his goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. As a longtime member of CBMC of Santa Barbara (Christian Business Men’s Connection), he started writing Fourth Quarter Strategies columns in 2014, and he now reaches an international audience through the CBMC International devotional Monday Manna. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.