“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” — Matthew 6:33
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Ordinal numbers, such as “first, second, third,” show the order, position or importance of things in a list or sequence. They are the math terms for indicating priorities, and we see them used all the time in sports.
But Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, “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” (Matthew 6:31-33). In light of how God cares for us and our needs, we are challenged to prioritize God’s Kingdom and His righteousness above everything else.
Often, it is the normal pursuits of life that crowd out our prioritization of Jesus. Luke 9:57-62 relates the struggles of three “would-be” followers of Jesus who are confronted with a question and choice: Is life about “me first” or Christ first? Jesus is not looking for a place in our lives; He is looking for first place. This is a choice every Christian is called to live out on a daily basis.
I encourage you to read the short booklet “Tyranny of the Urgent,” by Charles Hummel. In it, the author makes the distinction between the “urgent” (daily demands of life) and the “important” (relationship with Christ) directing our lives. Jesus calls us to seek what is important — His Kingdom.
— Jeff Totten, Detroit Tigers chaplain
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