Priorities Priorities

"So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." Matthew 6:32-34

I have heard this verse quoted a million times growing up. We even sang it in an inspirational "praise chorus" that gives you the gooey Holy Spirit feeling we have all come to know and love in our song sessions in church meetings.

But lately I have really stopped to think about what this actually means.

Here I am in a brand new city and a brand new state trying to carve out my niche and build a life for me and my wife.

The first logical thing on everyone's mind in such a situation is to go find a job. Whatever it takes, I can't be picky, just go out and work because I have to make money. It doesn't matter the hours or the pay or the quality of my life it takes away from. I have to work! Period. All of a sudden everything in my life that I value is secondary and dispensable. The only thing that matters is earning money.

I have been thinking about what we as Christian Americans have given up for the sake of this malady. There was a time when it was mandatory to take Sundays off in many Christian denominations, go to church meetings and have a big Sunday dinner. Businesses were simply closed for the most part, not just in small town America.

Of course the Old Testament makes the Sabbath a command. Nowadays if I take a day off and rest and enjoy God, my wife, and friendships I am almost considered lazy and am told that such a thing is a luxury other people wish they had. WOW. Yesterday's command is now a luxury that is highly dispensable.

On another point. I was a latchkey kid as both of my parents worked. I only saw them for maybe a couple of hours each day if THAT during the course of the work week. I was the typical kid who was babysat by TV and Nintendo, or was forced to go outdoors to find my own entertainment or activities.

I was even passed off to the local community center to keep me busy while I was estranged form my parents. It was my generation where this epidemic started. Many kids grew up not knowing their parents. This is when street gangs rose full force. This is when teen suicides, pregnancies and drug use hit an all time high.

There was a time when children, when they hit a certain age, worked side by side with their fathers and mothers, learning the family business or the trade. They knew their father's business. They knew who their father was, what he was about, and they took pride in him and each other. Their family was their roots.

We have given all of that up. We give that up for the demands of money and what a secular, corrupt society run by power-hungry people demand from us for the sake of luxuries after luxuries and the comfort of our physical bodies that we swear we can't live without.

I remember reading a news article about just this topic. It was entitled "10 things Americans won't live without." It was talking about how, even though we are in a recession, there are certain things Americans won't give up. And I was surprised ( I shouldn't have been) to find out what they were. The list consisted of portable computers, high speed internet, cell phones, ipods, to name a few. This triggered something in me that knew that something is terribly wrong with this picture.

Nowadays we consider children a liability. People are afraid to have kids until they are financially "ready". However they have no problem buying a big flat screen TV or a second car when they AREN'T financially ready and will even go into debt for those things.

Recently Father God has taken me into the heart of my fears head on. He reminded me that He is a good God who loves to take care of me as any Father would. All of a sudden, Jesus' words in the above chapter take on a whole new meaning.

So what then is it to seek the kingdom of God? Well, we should know by now that the Kingdom of God is His children. The Kingdom of God is RELATIONSHIPS. It is LOVE for each other, sharing life with each other out of the abundant love God has for us.

Lately I don't get out of bed wondering where I can find a job and what I have to do to get it. Instead, I get out of bed wondering who I can love and serve or impact for the better in some way. I wonder who I can connect with in a real, sincere relationship with honest love and devotion.

I wake up knowing that whatever may happen today, I have a Father who loves me and gives me more than enough for that day. And I know that I can just go out and enjoy loving people.

This mentality is so backwards to today's American thinking. Many people who would read this would accuse me of laziness and irresponsibility.

Of course I am not condoning sloth. I am simply shifting the priorities I work for.

Jesus asked why we work to lay up treasures where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. I have been asking myself that question. Why do we as Americans work and sweat for things that constantly break, or for a minuscule paycheck in which half of it goes to evil people who are only after power and control?

Working for such things almost makes one feel despaired and discouraged. No matter how hard we work or what we do, things still break. We still lose every penny we slave for in one way or another. And we scramble frantically if there is a threat to that stable paycheck.

I remember reading in the news not too long ago during this recession that there were millionaires who lost everything overnight. Top business executives were forced to wait tables at Red Lobster. Some men would go home and shoot their families and then themselves after the shock of losing their livelihoods.

I decided that I never want to be in a place where I am emotionally dependent on such things. I want to be emotionally dependent on the Father who loves me. I want to go to sleep at night, job or no job, resting assured that I know I am cared for. I want my schedule in my life to be free for what really matters. I don't want my life tied up with the demands of evil men. I want my life available to pursue meaningful connection and relationships with people, that is, to seek the Kingdom first.