Welcome back Viphilus*
OK, so you are developing a proactive mind and you have learned to start with the end in mind. Covey’s 3rd
habit is learning to “put first things first.” This is the skill of learning
the difference between important and urgent, something I touched on a number of
times in this blog last year.
Most people understand the
concept of triage. To be clear though, here is what Wikipedia says about
it: triage
is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the
severity of their condition; this rations patient treatment efficiently when
resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately.
Stephen Covey’s 3rd
habit is about learning to live with an ever-present priority structure at the
front of our mind. It is about Triage-Living. Today, however, I simply want to point
out the Biblical imperative on this and where Covey discovered this principle
in the Bible.
There are a number of
Scriptural references, but let’s start with what I think is the core. Jesus is speaking and the context is important. The following quote comes right on the heels of a number of
statements about the things that people worry about or develop anxiety over.
“But, seek first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
In other words … if you put
God first, everything else will sort itself out.
After living
schizophrenically for 40 years … sometimes obeying this simple imperative and
sometimes not … all I can say is that Jesus is right.
Of course, there are other
Biblical statements by Jesus that lend support to this, such as what He himself refers
to as the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength
and with all your mind.”
(Luke 10:27).
But for this post, I want to
zoom in more on the principle of why it is important to not live duplicitously …
but to live with a singleness of purpose, at least on any given day or in any
given moment. That comes out clearly in some other words of Jesus when He said,
“No one can serve two
masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24). Now the context of
that statement is in support of why we can’t really live effectively if our
love for money is all consuming … but the principle rises above the statement;
put first things first.
In March we will be looking
at the three habits that Covey references as being part of our “public life,”
which is essential for living in this world because life is all about
relationship. But before we get there let’s look at one more statement of Jesus
that rises out of His own principle of putting first things first … the
principle that relationships are more important than anything else. In this I’ll
direct you to a strange comment that Jesus made in the same sermon from which I
got the other two Matthew references above
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
When Jesus made this
statement, worship was both a private and corporate thing, but always involved
bringing sacrifices and gifts to the temple altar. What he is saying here is
that it is impossible to worship God effectively (or perhaps, at all) if you
have a relational fracture with someone. Before you come to worship, make sure
that you have done your level best to restore and then sustain that
relationship. After all, that’s what worship is … restoring and then
maintaining our relationship with God.
Jesus is telling us
relationships are the highest priority … even before worship! This may sound shocking to most religious
people because all of us were taught that God comes first (shall I roll out the
10 commandments here?) And He does. But Jesus taught how we actually execute
that commandment in our life and it includes caring for each other as much as
He does. The Lord’s brother, James, must have seen this lived out as he grew up
watching his oldest brother live his life by putting other people ahead of
everything:
“Those who consider
themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive
themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and
faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to
keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:26-27)
The way we speak and live can hurt other people … which, if you say that you love God, is kinda like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Put first things first.
Next Monday we will look at how we begin doing just that as it relates to our relationships.
I hope to see you back next
Monday.
Blessings Viphilus,
Your friend, Omega Man
* Viphilus means, "lover of life"
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