What’s Your Priority?

What is your priority?

I’ve begun reading a fascinating book entitled Essentialism. Both the title and the major premise of the book take a few minutes to get your mind around. We’re simply not in the practice of trying to discern what is essential in our lives.

We’ve all had ingrained in our minds that more is better, that the goal of life is to work harder, and that we can have it all.

The premise of this book is that we have to do less in order to be better, that you can’t do everything, and that the answer is not working harder.

One of the emphases of the book is priority, not priorities. The word “priority” began being used in the 1790s. It was always used singularly and not plurally. We, of course always make it plural. We talk about our priorities. To talk about “priorities” means that there is no “priority.” If everything is first nothing is first. What is your priority? What should your priority be?

Would anyone have any questions about the priority of Jesus?

He came to do the will of the father in heaven. That was his focus and that was his earthly life. The life of Jesus centered around fulfilling His mission.

His mission had many facets – – training disciples, teaching and preaching, and healing the sick – – but His one priority was doing the will of the Father.

Jesus focused His life like a laser on His one priority. He called us to do the same. We are to “Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Living in that way doesn’t diminish life; it enhances life. To live for the kingdom of God means that everything else that’s important will fall into line: “and he will give you everything you need.” Life at its simplest is life at its best.

To seek first the kingdom of God does not take away from important aspects of my life, it adds to it.

Seeking God first makes me a better leader and pastor, a better father and husband, and a better neighbor.

Seeking God first gives me freedom to be exactly what God intended in my life.

Making God my priority doesn’t take away from other responsibilities, it simply enhances them.

What is your priority? Where is your heart?

To determine your priority, examine how you live. Where do you spend your time? What are you thinking about?

Whatever is in your heart will also be where your priority is.

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4 Responses

  1. Great post Waylon. Everyone is always trying to get the most out of life their way and never achieve it. Seek God, put Him first and you will always get the most out of your life. That is God’s promise to us.

  2. I am not sure why this popped in my head as soon as I read it., but here it is. “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, “it might have been”. Has anybody here ever wished they could have a “do over” in their priority? Over my 79 years I can look back and remember many.

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