Day 5: First Things First
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Transcript
If you’ve ever packed for a trip and were limited to just one suitcase, you know how important it is to prioritize what goes in there. If you stuff a full-size pillow, a stack of books, and an overabundance of snacks, you might run out of space for what actually matters—like your clothes. The same principle applies to our lives. If we spend our time, energy, and finances on things that feel urgent but aren’t truly important, there’s no room left for what matters most.
Jesus had something to say about that very principle. Particularly when it comes to money and where we look for security. He told his followers this:
““So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.””
It’s important to remember that many of the people listening to Jesus had things to be concerned about—things like food, clothing, and shelter. The very things Jesus said not to worry about were daily concerns. Those things were top of mind to the people he was talking to. Jesus wasn’t dismissing that as their reality. He was trying to shift their focus by telling them, I know it’s hard to believe, but that’s not all there is to life. He was saying, There’s something greater than that. If your attention is limited to important but temporary things, you’re not seeing life any differently than the pagans. Instead, Jesus pointed them in a different direction: Seek God’s kingdom first. Put it at the forefront of your mind.
For most of us, figuring out how to meet our most basic needs is not a daily tension, like it was to Jesus’s original audience. But even though a lot of times we have more than enough—it’s easy for us to slip into the habit of prioritizing our stuff. We can fill our lives with personal comforts, luxuries, and financial safety nets. And all that stuff takes our time and energy to manage. Before we know it, our extras have taken up all the space in our metaphorical suitcase—not leaving much room for what matters most.
So the principle is still the same. Jesus’s words are an invitation to reprioritize. Seeking his kingdom first means aligning our finances, our stuff, and our lives with what matters eternally. It means recognizing that our excess (when we have it) isn’t just for us—it’s an opportunity to use what we have for what really counts. His words are a call to seek first what truly lasts.
“Heavenly Father,
Thank you for providing for me in ways I often take for granted. Show me, with my actions and my stuff, how to seek your kingdom first. Amen.”
