Anytime is a good time to assess your life and priorities, especially as we are bombarded by one thing after another which demands our attention. It’s easy to prioritize by fire, rather than by priority. Here’s what Jesus said:
Matthew 6:33 (ESV) — 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The context of Jesus’ statement is most alluring since He is dealing with the subject of worry and stress of trying to be successful in getting more wealth than in being rich toward God.
Matthew 6:19–24 (ESV) — 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
His conclusion is simple: you need not worry when your trust is in God because you can just look at the birds of the air or the lilies of the field and see how God cares for them. He then concludes with the call for a reset of priorities, namely the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Matthew 6:31–33 (ESV) — 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
While evaluating our priorities through our schedules and expenditures is essential, there are additional factors we can assess to optimize the quality of our lives.
Consider the priority in awareness.
2 Peter 3:3–4 (ESV) — 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
The primary heresy that Peter lays out in 2Peter 3 is an intellectual heresy or anti-God philosophy of naturalistic evolutionism. The priority then is to be on guard for slick sounding heresies that have been a plague for the church throughout the latter days.
Consider the priority in behavior.
It’s easy to drift into a life of a Pharisee, where your life of serving God is to be seen of others so that your concern is what others are thinking of you rather than pleasing God, Who knows all about you. Jesus had some direct words to the Pharisees that should make us be most conscientious in prioritizing our behavior.
Matthew 23:26 (ESV) — 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
Consider the priority in giving.
Before you turn away thinking that I have gone to fund raising, consider the words of the apostle Paul as he commends the churches of Macedonia who gave abundantly, but the real thing they demonstrated was the fact that they were dedicated first to God and then to the support of Paul. It was the Lord who led their giving and the Lord who blessed them in their giving and the Lord who blessed the giving to accomplish His purposes.
2 Corinthians 8:1–5 (ESV) — 1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Consider the priority of your witness.
Do you believe what you say you believe? Do others believe that you believe what you say you believe? It’s very important to give a strong witness to what you believe.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (ESV) — 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Consider your priority in your prayer list.
1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV) — 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
The bottom line is that the Lord Jesus Christ summed it up well in stating that our ultimate priority is the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In keeping that first, all the other things will fall into place, and our lives will be much better.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
