Priorities

by Tim Howard

My coach use to tell kids that learning the basics is a priority if you want to win games. That’s true of soccer, basketball, hockey and other sports. When you hit a baseball, you will lose the game if you don’t go to first base – First!

That’s what a priority is. It’s putting first things first!

A priority regards one thing as more important than another and makes whatever adjustments necessary to fulfill the most important issue at hand.

We have all, at one time or another, yielded to the ‘Tyranny of the Urgent!’ We live in a culture that creates constant tension between what seems to be urgent and what really is important.

When the urgent wins you lose!

Leaders must be intentional about deciding what things are important and he or she must devote time and energy to those things – even though the  “good” or “urgent” is shouting for attention. The ‘good’ can become the enemy of the ‘great.’

To succeed in life you must first decide what is important. Your priorities should be guided by your sense of purpose. What are you here for? Why did God give you life? What does Jesus want to accomplish through you? Who are you called to influence? What is your plan? How can you make a positive difference? Questions like these will help you determine your purpose and then you can set priorities.

Jesus set priorities and they were directly connected to His understanding of His purpose. He also defined for us some of the priorities we should hold as significant and proper.
Matthew 6:33: Seek first God’s kingdom and what he wants. When you do, other things will fall into place.

Matthew 7:4-5: "How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

Matt. 22:37-39…  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.

Once you have set priorities – make sure you take the second step. Follow Through! Setting priorities is the first step but without the follow through – you will lose.

And no one wants to be a loser! 

No one makes plans to end up bankrupt and lose their business, reputation and possessions. Who marries someone with the desire to be divorced? Losing is not fun, and losing is not what God intends for those who seek His wisdom.

When you follow Christ and set your priorities in accordance with His directives, you will experience fruitfulness, fulfillment and success.

 If you don't put first things first, you join the losing team. God wants you to win!