As a pastor, I’m always struck by how easy it is for our priorities to get out of alignment. In our recent sermon series Don’t Take the Bait, we’ve been exploring how to avoid the temptations and traps that can lead us off track in our walk with God. This week, I want to focus on a critical aspect of that journey: setting the right priorities in our lives.
When I was in college, I vividly remember a time when I thought I had my priorities straight. I had a big test coming up in a class I was struggling with, and I was determined to ace it. For two solid days, I dedicated myself completely to studying. I turned down invitations to play basketball with friends, skipped social outings, and burned the midnight oil poring over my textbook. I felt prepared and confident walking into that exam room.
But as soon as I saw the first question, my heart sank. I had studied the wrong chapters entirely. All my effort, all my dedication, had been misplaced. I had prioritized studying, yes, but I had focused on the wrong material.
This experience serves as a powerful metaphor for how we often approach our spiritual lives. We may think we’re doing all the right things, making all the right choices, but if our fundamental priorities are misaligned, we’ll end up in the wrong place.
In Matthew 6:24, Jesus addresses this issue head-on: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Tony, I don’t serve money. I’m not obsessed with wealth.” And you might be right. But Jesus isn’t just talking about dollar bills here. He’s addressing anything that competes for the top spot in our lives – whether that’s our career, our social status, our possessions, or even our families.
Jesus goes on to say, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25)
He’s not saying these things don’t matter. Of course, we need food, water, and clothing. But Jesus is urging us to shift our perspective, to realign our priorities. He’s calling us to a radical trust in God that frees us from the constant worry and anxiety that often drive our decisions.
Think about it this way: our priorities are like a GPS for our lives. Whatever we put first, whatever we prioritize, that’s the destination we’re navigating toward. If we make our own comfort, success, or security our top priority, that’s where we’ll end up – even if it’s not where God wants us to be.
But Jesus gives us a better way. He says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
This is the key to not taking the bait of misplaced priorities. When we seek God’s kingdom first – when we make His will and His ways our top priority – everything else falls into place.
I know this isn’t easy. Our world constantly bombards us with messages about what we should prioritize. Success, wealth, popularity, comfort – these are the things our culture tells us to chase. And let’s be honest, they’re appealing. They’re tangible. They feel safe.
But Jesus calls us to a different kind of life. He calls us to prioritize the unseen over the seen, the eternal over the temporary.
I’m reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Jesus comes to visit, and Martha is bustling around, trying to be the perfect hostess. She’s worried about the meal, the cleanliness of the house, and making sure everything is just right. And where’s her sister Mary? Sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to his teaching.
Martha gets frustrated and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus’ response is profound: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Martha’s priorities weren’t wrong – hospitality is a good thing! But in that moment, she had allowed good things to distract her from the best thing: being in the presence of Jesus.
How often do we do the same? How often do we allow the good things in our lives – our jobs, our families, our hobbies – to distract us from the best thing: our relationship with God?
Setting the right priorities doesn’t mean neglecting our responsibilities or living in a spiritual bubble. It means filtering every aspect of our lives through the lens of God’s kingdom. It means asking ourselves, “How can I glorify God in this situation? How can I advance His kingdom through this decision?”
When we do this, something amazing happens. We start to see our lives not as our own little kingdoms, but as part of God’s grand narrative. We realize that we’re not the heroes of our own stories – Jesus is.
This shift in perspective is transformative. It frees us from the pressure of trying to control everything. It releases us from the anxiety of always striving for more. Instead, we find peace in knowing that our lives are in God’s hands and that He is working all things together for our good and His glory.
Let me challenge you with something we call the “15-Second Story.” It’s a simple way to share how Jesus has changed your priorities. Here’s how it works:
“I once was [fill in the blank], but because of Jesus, now I’m [fill in the blank].”
For example: “I once was consumed with climbing the corporate ladder, but because of Jesus, now I find my greatest joy in serving others.”
This simple exercise can help us reflect on how Jesus has reoriented our priorities and can be a powerful tool for sharing our faith with others.
I want to leave you with a question to ponder: What’s at the top of your priority list? Is it your job? Your family? Your own comfort and security? Or is it God’s kingdom?
Remember, whatever is at the top of that list is what you’re truly serving. It’s what you’re navigating towards. And while many things in life are good and important, only one thing deserves that top spot: Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
So this week, I challenge you to take a hard look at your priorities. Are they aligned with God’s kingdom? Are you seeking first His righteousness? Or have you allowed other things – even good things – to take His place?
The beautiful promise of Jesus is that when we get this right – when we seek His kingdom first – everything else falls into place. We don’t have to worry about our needs because we know our Father in heaven cares for us. We don’t have to anxiously strive for success because we know our true success is found in Him.
Don’t take the bait of misplaced priorities. Instead, let’s commit together to seek first the kingdom of God. Let’s make Jesus the hero of our stories. And as we do, we’ll find that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be – in the center of God’s will, advancing His kingdom, and experiencing the peace and joy that come from a life rightly ordered.
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