Really Loving


“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25 NLT

It’s not much in dispute that relationship, first with God and then with men, is the most important thing. It’s just not much in practice. The reasons are trust and control. As Christians we say we turn our lives over to Christ but we don’t trust Him to be in control. We believe we have to drive and provide the gas. As long as that’s our attitude, relationships will never be first. Our priority will be money and getting things done. Money, because we need it as provider and getting things done because we believe it all depends on us.

If you need confirmation ask yourself, “What’s the first thing you think about in the morning? What’s the last thing you think about at night?” It you’re honest it’s probably about money, getting it, spending it, not having enough of it to last until payday, Or it may be about doing things, what you need to do, what you forgot to do, what you wish you didn’t have to do.

Let me use myself as an example. I have been on a campaign for some time to “seek first the kingdom.” It plays out this way. I do my blog before I do anything else. Then I do my ministry related stuff, websites or Kairos or whatever. I feel I have been pretty successful in doing that and God has rewarded me by giving me the things I need. The last thing I usually consider at night is the subject of the next day’s blog. The next morning God, or my indigestion, has produced an idea and I write it and send it out before I do anything else. Often while I’m still in bed working on my iPad. I feel pretty good about that.

But consider I’m not putting relationship first. My first thoughts even when they are about the things of God are not about God. Even when they are about serving those I’m called to serve, my family, church, prisoners; I’m not thinking about the people as much as what I need to do which, no doubt, will benefit them; yet I’m not really thinking about them.

I know part of this is a guy thing. We find value in what we do. Love God with all your soul, body, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. That clearly means put God first and others next. But even when we try, we end up trying to accomplish that by doing things.

Father, I want to put you first, not just the things that are important to you. I want to really love the people you have given me to love and not just by doing things for them. Help me God.

Amen

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