Second-mile servants are people who deliberately look for opportunities to show God’s grace to others. Jesus teaches his disciples about going the second mile through out the book of Matthew. Last week I discussed having a second-mile faith. But what about our priorities?
God desires to reshape our hearts and in doing so He desires to reshape our priorities. Our priorities shape the details of our days. What we feel is important is how we will go about our days. Our priorities reveal themselves in the ways we spend our money, our time, use our talents, and how we find joy. Second-mile servants single most important priority is seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Having this second-mile priority is in direct contrast to the priorities of this world. Priorities of this world are seek things that make you joyful, popular, rich, and famous first. Having this second-mile priority should sharpen our focus, fuel our urgency, and define our direction.
Sharpen our Focus: (Matt. 6:1-18) We must focus on Christ instead of other things that compete for our attention. Giving, prayer, and fasting can be used to help us focus our attention more on God.
Fuel our Urgency: (Matt. 6:19-24) Our priorities highlight what is urgent and important to us. Jesus urges us to invest ourselves in heavenly treasures rather than earthly treasures.
Define our Direction: (Matt. 6:25-34) Priorities not only impact today, but also mark the path for the future. We must be grounded in trust in the Lord. We may not know what the next step is, but we know we trust in the Lord always.
