Misplacing priorities

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

Dr. George Sweeting recounted a time when he and his family took a trip to Niagara Falls. It was spring, and huge blocks of ice were rushing down the river, making their way to the falls. Frozen inside the blocks were carcasses of dead fish.

Swarms of gulls were riding down the river on the blocks feeding on the dead fish. As they came to the brink of the falls, their wings would go out and they would fly away, narrowly escaping an imminent death.

Dr. Sweeting then observed,

“I watched one gull which seemed to delay and wondered when it would leave. It was engrossed in the carcass of a fish, and when it finally came to the brink of the falls, out went its powerful wings. The bird flapped and flapped and even lifted the ice out of the water, and I thought it would escape. But it had delayed too long so that its claws had frozen into the ice. The weight of the ice was too great, and the gull plunged into the abyss.”

The most appealing things in the world turn deadly when we become too attached to them. That’s because when we hold onto something so tightly that we refuse to let it go, that thing becomes our idol and surpasses God in our hearts.

Don’t let the things you love destroy you. Release what needs to be released for the sake of your relationship with God. Enjoy the good things in life, but always remember to keep your priorities in line!

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to show you where you’ve compromised your priorities and pray He’d help you keep them in line.

Questions for Thought

Why do you think the things of the world often seem more appealing than the things of God?

What are some things in your life today that perhaps you need to let go of?