Something you have to come to grips with early on in life is the concept of priorities. Not just that they exist, but that when placed in proper order and followed through in word and action, life simplifies. Of course – you know this is not true. Reality is that most often when we attempt at living our lives in accordance with our set of priorities – even more so when our priorities are of a Christian nature – life only becomes more difficult.
Jesus begins his ministry in Luke 4:16-30 letting the Jews know that he has come not to give political and societal freedom to the Jews, but to give freedom to those oppressed by sin. This was no “lip-service” either, Jesus followed through on his proclamation by way of spending time in the presence of sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, Pharisees, liars, cheaters, and adulterers. No matter who you were at the time, you would have been offended at some point with whom Jesus associated. Did he care? Not in the least. Because he had a mission and with that mission came priorities. Living by those priorities brought salvation to the lost and glory to God. The cost to him? Hatred from family, cast out by the Jewish leaders, humiliated, beaten, abandoned, and ultimately crucified.
I challenge you to a “Priority Check.” Consider this past week and with a pen and paper figure up where the majority of your time was spent and what you were doing. How much of it was spent serving others? How much time was spent in prayer or bible study with someone else? The sacrifice of putting God first in life is not an easy cross to bear, but it is what we as Christians are called
to do. Let’s do it together.
–Devin