Walter Mischel published a book 6 years ago called 'The Marshmallow Test'. In it he describes the results of his experiments with 4 and 5 year olds when they were given a choice of either eating one marshmallow immediately or waiting for 20 minutes to be given two marshmallows. Mischel then followed these children into their adult years and found that those who had shown 'deferred gratification' - or taken the long view - had done better in life, in all sorts of ways. The bible has a lot to say about taking the long view and deferred gratification. In Genesis 47 v 27 to 31 we see one such example in the life of an elderly pilgrim called Jacob.
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