Priorities, Part 1

priority/priorities: noun – the right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence

Priorities. Whether we give the word much weight or not, our lives live by them each and every day. You see, we prioritize what’s important to us. The things you prioritize are the non-negotiables you will get accomplished in a day.

Priorities can range from your career to eating healthy and everything in between. (Coffee, anyone?) It’s safe to say that for the majority of Americans, the brunt of our priorities will be established by money. We want the house, the car, the social status symbol, ect. We want all these things, so we prioritize accordingly to make them happen.

On the flip side, obviously having enough money to meet our needs is not only prioritizing, but prudent. We cannot only prioritize the things that we want to do. That would be a blog for another time focused on selfishness and laziness. As adults, we simply need to do the things that need done and provide for those we are responsible for.

However, the problem comes when things get out of balance. I have a love/hate relationship with the word balance. Some days that seems anything but achievable. They end up with me layering on mom-guilt until I finally fall asleep. Mark and I are automatically at odds with eachother. Usually, on days like this, our priorities fell by the wayside.

Clearly these days can happen even when we have the best of intentions. Life happens. Things come up.

We have to roll with times like that, then get back to where things need to be once that (hopefully short-lived) season is done.

But what this blog is really about, and I may as well cut to the chase, is strong exhortation for you to look at your life. Take an honest, hard look at it. Are you living the American dream to the extent that you are actually missing what is right in front of you? Are you present with the people who deserve to get you in your best form? For that matter, are the people God has given you on this earth getting any part of you? Are the blessings God has bestowed upon you being properly stewarded?

Who or what is #1 in your life? As a Christian, we all know what your answer should be. Is that your answer? Are Christ and Christ’s ways the foundation from which all else flows? Are His priorities your priorities?

Are His priorities your priorities? That is what the issue at hand boils down to.

In the next few blogs we will dive deeper into this subject based on your role in the family. In the meantime, I encourage you to spend time in prayer about this. Our lives are but a blink. We want to get this right and not miss what God has for us. If His priorities are not ours, we are missing it. We’ve only got one shot at this, let’s live in a way that brings complete honor and glory to the King.