Eugene Peterson is widely known as the author of the every-day-language Bible translation entitled The Message.
In one of his earliest works, Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Peterson extols the virtues of faithful and consistent pursuit of holiness in the every day experience of life.
We often hear about the power of "compound interest" -- the idea of making steady investments early in our careers which "compound" over time into substantial sums of money.
Good, healthy habits and practices of thinking and doing pay similar dividends in other areas of our lives as well. That is not to say that "doing the right thing" always leads to prosperity and happiness, because it doesn't. Awful things happen to really good people and we move forward in faith knowing that God is sovereign, regardless of our light and temporary troubles.
But let's not fall into the trap that because "bad things happen to good people" that they necessarily will and that the possibility should somehow preclude us from starting now to live obedience and generous lives.
What's that saying about the best time to plant a tree (or a habit) being 20 (or more) years ago? If we've missed the "best" time, the next best time is today.