In our western culture, it is easy for us to get caught up in the quest for more: more toys, bigger homes, nicer cars. You name it; we want the newest, nicest version of everything. But in the quest for more, do we lose sight of our priorities?
Kingdom Priority
Jesus warned the disciples to be on guard against all kinds of greed because he said, a man’s life is measured not by his possessions (Luke 12:15). He went on to tell the disciples the parable of the rich fool:
16 “The land of a rich man was very productive.
17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 ~’And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’
21 “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)
In this parable, the rich man had two priorities: 1) accumulate as much wealth as he could, and 2) use his wealth for his future retirement plans. Now, to be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with wealth, or saving for retirement. What is at issue here is the man’s priority! He is focused exclusively on himself and his needs while ignoring God (v. 21).
The parable of the rich man focused on wealth, but Jesus’ warning may be applied more broadly. You have only a certain amount of time, energy, and other resources that God has entrusted to you for the purpose of investing in the Kingdom. The truth is you are resource constrained. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to invest your time, your talents, and your treasures with Kingdom priorities in mind.
Application
Think about your top five priorities in life and at work. Consider to what extent these priorities are driven by selfish desires, and which are Kingdom priorities.
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21)
I’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse. You can’t take your riches with you to heaven, but you can send them on ahead, by making Kingdom investments a priority!
Join the Conversation!
As always, questions and comments are welcome. How are you doing with your priorities? With what do you struggle?
Category: Personal Development | Priorities
