Focal passage: Luke 2:41-52
There is a lot competing for our attention. Daily chores to job assignments to social obligations fight for dominance on our to-do list. With limited time, we’re forced to decide what is most important in our lives. We are forced to determine what takes priority.
Luke tells us something meaningful about Jesus’s priorities. In this brief snapshot into Jesus’ childhood, Luke tells the story of Jesus’ trip to the temple in Jerusalem with Mary and Joseph. After the Passover Festival had ended, the family departed for home. The only problem was, Jesus was missing.
Eventually Mary and Joseph found Jesus back at the temple in Jerusalem. With an understandable sense of frustration, Mary said to Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you” (v 48). To which Jesus replied, “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” (v 49).
Jesus, holy and perfect, was not disobeying Mary or trying to hurt her by causing her to panic. Far from being disobedient, Jesus was displaying an act of perfect obedience to the will of his heavenly Father. He knew that his priority was to do the will of God.
Setting our priorities is challenging. In a world constantly vying for our attention we can easily be distracted by the next “urgent” situation that comes our way. As followers of Christ, we need to have a clear understanding of where our priorities lie.
Ask yourself: Where are my priorities today?
Jesus makes it clear in the sermon on the mount that our priority in life should be Him. How can we do that when there are assignments due, bills to pay and chores to finish? Jesus provides the answer: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matthew 6:33).
When you place Christ first in your life, like a set of dominos, everything else will fall into place. As Anglican minister William Law once said, “If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.”