Wednesday, December 14, 2011

First Things First

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember this story about a mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee. “A professor stood before his philosophy class with several items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full and the students responded with a unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--God, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. "The sand is everything else -- the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. "The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. "Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Jesus gave us the Scripture to remember that when things in our life seems out of control, this is what we need to do: ”But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:33-34, ESV) This is a very simple command yet many are having a hard time following it. Sadly, this is often the case even with people who has strong belief in God. The logic of living life has been given to us: live each day! When we are preoccupied with what happened in the past and what will occur tomorrow, we miss the blessings of today. And after the day is over, nothing has been done significantly and can never be taken back again.

Keep our focus on what’s ahead for the day but planning for what’s going to happen tomorrow is a valid task. Just remember that every plan should be subject to change. Calendars are for reminders and should not become the map of our life. Also, make sure that our life will be dictated by what God will give us each day not by what we think should do. He only holds the future and nobody knows it better than Him, thus, the anchor of our life must be with Him alone. Everything and everyone else will change but NOT Him.

Jesus lived His life on earth and abided by what He taught. Even though He only lived for 33 ½ years, yet He fulfilled the purpose and the plan of God for His life on earth. No wasted time but fully maximized. In addition, here’s what the Scriptures described King David of Israel: “For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.” (Acts 13:36, NIV) Now, would you want to have the same legacy? Then, the decision is yours today to prioritize our life aligned with God’s Will, Way and Word.

Lets’ talk again!