Click here to return to Blog Post Intro
Jesus’ Parable on Priorities
Jesus once shared a story of a man whose main priority was himself and his possessions (from Luke 12:16-21). The man had two clear goals: (1) Accumulate wealth; and (2) Use his wealth to secure his future. Unfortunately, he failed to achieve either goal, as he died before he could expand his business or enjoy his retirement. Jesus showed how anyone absorbed with self-interest instead of God would face a similar fate. Ultimately, we should seek to bring honor and glory to God instead of pleasure and recognition for ourselves.
That lesson was hammered home in the movie When the Game Stands Tall. My sons and I just watched it on Labor Day, and the players learned that success is more about teamwork, living for others, and growing up than it is about setting records in football.
Good is the Enemy of Great
Out of This World Leaders discern not only the difference between good and bad choices but also the difference between good choices and the best. Since we cannot do everything well, we must carefully choose a few things for our focus. In 1 John 2:15-17, the Bible points out that anything that keeps us away from the love of God is idolatrous, no matter how “good” it appears to be.
A Christ-centered life means that everything else is relative to him. So, we don’t have priorities of God then family then work or ministry. Our lives are not rank ordered…they’re to be centered on Jesus.
The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth and desires for stuff have a way of choking out Jesus and making us unfruitful. Unless we are diligent, we may miss out on the best in our quest for the good.
Paul’s Priority
Paul accomplished amazing things in his 20-year ministry. Part of Paul’s ability to accomplish so much is defined in Philippians 3:13: “But one thing I do…”
Paul, like everyone else, had to decide what to do and what not to do. He made wise choices, pursuing things that mattered. Our priorities like Paul must start with “But one thing I do.” Without a defining, central priority, there can be no sensible priorities in life or leadership.
Drucker’s Advice
Leadership expert Peter Drucker observes, “There are always more productive tasks for tomorrow than time to do them and more opportunities than people to take care of them.” Drucker provides the following guidelines to determine which tasks should take priority:
- Pick the future over the past.
- Focus on opportunities rather than problems.
- Choose your own direction—rather than climbing on the bandwagon.
- Aim high, for something that will make a difference, rather than settling for something that is safe and easy to do.
What are your top priorities? Would your calendar and your checkbook agree? How do you need to reshuffle your priorities, so you can overcome selfish ambition and greed?
Out of This World Leaders who apply Drucker’s advice to their spiritual walk, work, and ministry will discover they are choosing what’s important rather than allowing the pressures of life to make choices for them.