Your priorities reveal what you truly value
If you want to know what a person values, watch how they spend their time. No matter what a person claims, what they actually do with their time will tell you what their priorities really are.
People who follow Jesus should make sure to follow Him in this area. Jesus’ highest priority was to do what His Father wanted Him to do. He said, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” John 8.29 NIV.
That’s exactly what we’re called to do. In the same way that Jesus’ priorities matched the priorities of His Father, people who follow Jesus should match their priorities with Jesus’.
Following Jesus means putting Him before yourself
Living like this requires us to be sacrificial and counter-cultural because so many of the messages we receive tell us to put ourselves first and do whatever we want to do. But Christians live for Christ, not for themselves. The Apostle Paul says, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” Galatians 2.20 NLT.
As Christ changes us, our priorities begin to change
As Jesus lives His life through you, His desires, priorities, and agenda replace our desires, priorities, and agenda. Or, maybe a better way to say it is that our desires, priorities, and agendas start to align more and more with His.
What were some of Jesus’ priorities? A review of the Gospels reveals several things. Gathering with others for worship was important to Jesus. As His public ministry was starting, Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day, which is described as something He normally did (Luke 4.16).
Prayer was also important to Jesus. Luke reports that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” Luke 5.16 NIV. There are more than seventy references in the Gospels to Jesus either praying or talking about prayer. Additionally, Jesus prioritized service of others (Mark 10.43-45), obedience to God’s Word (Matthew 4.1-11), sharing the Gospel (Luke 19.10), and cultivating relationships.
Seeking God’s Kingdom changes everything
Throughout His life, Jesus’ priorities were aligned with His Father’s desires. He wasn’t concerned about missing out on anything else because He knew the truth that seeking God’s Kingdom is the key that unlocks everything else that really matters in life. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” Matthew 6.33 ESV.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our Student Series books, Walk With God.
