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When is instant a good thing? “That’s the $64,000 question.” And ironically, the use of that colloquialism is the perfect object lesson to explain the nuances of “instant.” I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase…“That’s the $64,000 question.” It’s not formal or meant to be literal, but certainly typical and used often, recognizable by just about everyone in the conversation. But where did it come from? The expression originated in 1941 on the CBS quiz show, “Take It or Leave It.” A contestant could choose to take a small prize or bet everything on a bigger prize, the largest being $64,000. If he opts for the immediate smaller payout, he’d satisfy his desire for instant gratification. But hold out, and he can win the ultimate prize. Maybe 64K does not seem so ultimate in 2023, however, that amount in 1941 equates to a much larger pile of cash today. Hold out, get the answer right, and in 2023 you’d take home nearly $1.5 million!

I took one of my sons to dinner about twelve years ago when he was eleven years old. I slid a twenty dollar bill across the table and told him he could have it right away. His eyes were wide with excitement. Twenty bucks is a big deal for an eleven year old. But, before he could slip it out from under my fingers, which pressed it firmly against the table, I offered him this: you can take the twenty dollars now, or you can wait one year and I will give you one hundred dollars instead. For everyone listening, you know that any investment that can yield five-fold returns in twelve months is breathtaking. But, for an eleven year old, those calculations were not dominating his thoughts. What was alluring was the instant benefit of the twenty dollars. That evening, my son somehow figured it out and chose wisely; he held off for the hundred. But, more important was the lesson, especially in this instant-gratification-instant-satisfaction world in which we live. Instant or immediate gratification is simply the urge to satisfy a craving right now, without considering its long term effects or the bigger picture. Fast food; point of purchase sales; substances to change your mood; ordering out instead of cooking at home; procrastination instead of immediately doing what’s necessary; and hijacking the benefits of marriage without the commitment of marriage, like premarital sex and cohabitation, are all driven by desires for instant gratification.

The entirety of our culture has gone the way of…in an instant! Just add water; no assembly required. I want it, I want it now, and I want it easy. Do it to me or for me! It’s the microwave lifestyle. It’s instant coffee, oatmeal, yeast, rice, soup, mashed potatoes, and pudding. Remove from the freezer; remove from the package, and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Don’t let it thaw out first—place it directly from the freezer into the oven. And, get over it; it’s not the end of the world if you must preheat the oven first! Moreover, instant gratification and instant satisfaction do not end with food-stuffs. That’s just surface tension. Below “just add water” is: instant access, instant results, instant answers, and instant messenger. It’s an Instagram world. And when there’s a problem to solve, it’s instant cures, instant relief, and instant repair.

But, when is instant a good thing? “That’s the $64,000 question.” If we turn it around and see it from God’s perspective, God wants instant obedience; instant action; instant transformation; and an instant change in direction, worship, attitude, mindset, beliefs, and choices… Yes, you have instant access to God, so when you look for results, answers, cures, relief, and satisfaction, the only way to be truly gratified is by instant obedience to Him, as demonstrated by your actions. God speaks and you say, “Here am I! Send me. What do you want me to do?”