Knollwood Community Church: Burke, VA

A Matter of Priorities

by Brian Conaway on July 25, 2011

Worry. Chris Mendez did a great job Sunday teaching us what Jesus had to say about it in Luke 12: 22-31. Jesus simply said to His disciples not to do it. He said pagans worried about what they were going to eat, drink, and wear. Jesus went on further to say that God knew that they needed those items. Then He made the key point. Matthew 6:33 says it well – “But seek first His (God) kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus told His disciples that their first priority should be – must be - seeking God and serving Him. If they would, then God would surely provide everything they needed for physical life on earth - food, drink, clothes, etc..

There’s another great Gospel story in Luke that speaks to worry and further illustrates this same priority principle of seeking first God’s Kingdom. Luke 10: 38 –42 says, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I love that last sentence. Jesus straight out tells Martha that only one thing really matters and that is seeking the Kingdom of God. Mary demonstrated she understood that by sitting at Jesus’ feet to hear Him teach about the Kingdom of God.

Mary had her priorities in order. Do you?