"Simon says...wait!"

     Growing up, just about every kid plays games such as tag, duck, duck, goose, musical chairs, and Simon says. There are two memorable commands from playing "Simon says" that I still find funny today. One was "Simon says act like a DVD player". Shout-out to my brother for coming up with that one. The other one was "Simon says wait". I've been told that I gave that command, presumably because I couldn't think of anything else in the moment. While that is a funny command to give in a kid's game, it can actually be applicable to our lives. We are often told in our lives to wait and be patient -- by our parents, our peers, etc. Although playing "the waiting game" is never fun, it seems to me that today's fast-paced environment and desire for instant gratification has made us never want to wait for anything.

     Portable, handheld electronics such as smartphones and tablets really are useful. It is amazing to think about how those devices have changed the way we communicate and interact with one another. An infinite amount of knowledge, games, and means of communicating is available at our fingertips. While these innovations have made our lives easier and helped solve our problems, they have also created new ones. We're often glued to our screens, checking the latest tweets,texts, notifications, scores, news, etc. When we post a new photo with a witty caption, tweet about our lives, or shoot off a text to someone, we eagerly await to receive notifications that people liked our posts and tweets and that our friend texted us back with a cool emoji. If we don't get notifications or hear back within minutes, we often get frustrated and may assume something's wrong. 

     This "nowism" culture isn't just limited to technology, either. When we order something online or go out to get food/drinks, we want it now.  Today, packages can be delivered hours after being ordered and food/drinks can be picked up at the counter right when a customer walks in. Although this quick turnaround time is convenient, this also desensitizes us to ever having to wait long for anything. When we want something, we want it NOW -- relationships, financial stability, a new car, a new apartment, etc.

     In the 1971 Willy Wonka film (the one with Gene Wilder), Veruca Salt, one of the golden ticket winners, sings the song "I Want It Now". Veruca rattles off a long list of what she wants -- and she wants it now. Most can agree that Veruca was a spoiled brat and, as Willy Wonka puts it, a "bad egg". However, in some ways, this instant gratification culture seems to reflect that same "I want it now" attitude of Veruca's. A few years ago, the NFL released a commercial promoting NFL Now, a video library for the league. In the commercial, the fans collectively sung to that same tune that Veruca Salt did. Commercial or no commercial, we are best off not emulating Veruca Salt. 

     I admit that I'm guilty of this myself. Even when my phone doesn't buzz, I'll still check it after a few minutes. Waiting in long lines, whether at the grocery store or coffee shop, can be frustrating. Waiting often does come with a negative connotation. However, there is a value in waiting and having patience, one that is understated. It is said that good things happen to those who wait. Lamentations 3:25 says "The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him". The things we wait on are not limited to a simple text reply or notification. We will find ourselves waiting on a relationship, finances, stability, etc. These matters often don't come with instant gratification and take much longer than a trivial text message does. That is why it's important that we wait on God and trust in Him.

     To close, I am reminded by a simple crosswalk outside the business school on the Baylor campus. When you press the walk sign button to cross the street, the machine will repeatedly say "wait, wait, wait..." until the walk sign is on across all directions. In a way, that's how it is in our lives with the things we wait for. We may know what we want (and we may even be able to see it), but we find ourselves having to wait, wait, and wait. Eventually though, we do get that "walk sign" and it all does work out. God's plan for each and every one of us is better than we could ever imagine. And it's one worth waiting for.