Looking for the ‘Quick Fix’

Are you old enough to remember the adage, “A watched pot never boils”? The modern equivalent says, “A watched microwave never beeps.” We toss frozen meals in to “nuke” for two minutes, then grow impatient as the seconds seem to crawl by.

If there’s one thing most Americans seem to desire, it’s the “quick fix.” If there’s a problem or a need, we want it resolved immediately, if not sooner. Got an ache? Take a pill – maybe more than one. Got a financial problem? Go to an “expert” who promises to make it all go away in the blink of an eye.

Recently Yahoo.com posted a link to a story, “Improve your marriage in just 21 minutes.” Sounds great, doesn’t it? Why spend a lifetime trying to forge a strong, growing marriage bond when you can get it done in 21 minutes? Then you can get on with whatever else you’ve been wanting to do – train for a triathlon, read a book, plant a garden, write a symphony. “Hey, honey, love ya. Remember, I just gave you the best 21 minutes of my life!”

The holidays are over, but many of us still carry the consequences of too many parties, cookies, candy, cakes, pies, and other seasonal delights. So our ears perk up when someone – or some diet – promises, “Lose 20 pounds in just seven days.”

Wanna talk physical? Maybe the latest exam says our numbers are out of whack and need to be improved. “Isn’t there some medication for that, Doc?” Heaven forbid we do something drastic like committing to a regular exercise program or learning how to eat healthier. No, we might want to look like Mr. America or Miss Universe, but we don’t want to invest the effort needed to get there. And it takes too much time.

We see the “quick fix” mentality manifested in many other areas, whether it’s career tracks not moving fast enough, living standards not rising as quickly as we’d like, or even our favorite sports teams not winning as much as we think they should. We want it – and we want it now! Instant gratification.

The problem is, quick fixes hardly ever last and they’re easily un-fixed. As a friend of mine says, “Why, if we have time to do it over again, didn’t we have the time to do it right the first time?”

In the Bible, we see these observations: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5), and “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Proverbs 19:2).

Sometimes a need can be met quickly, like getting a drink of water when you’re thirsty, or applying a Band-Aid to a cut. But there’s something about being willing to commit to something long-term, being in it for the long haul – whether it’s a marriage, an education, a fitness goal, or a career path. This can reap rewards and a sense of satisfaction the quick fix can never do.