Thursday, 8/27/20 – Discipleship – Priorities

First come, Last served

When I was a kid Marvel comics were my drug of choice, but I also read D.C. Batman was my top-gun there, then Green Lantern but I also read some Superman. However Superman interested me least of all; the Kryptonian kid was just a bit too mighty for my “Marvel-ous” liking. It was tough to find a formidable foe for such a “Man of Steel.” Perhaps the D.C. comic editors also found it difficult because pretty soon things just got goofy.

As if “Mister Mxyzptlk” wasn’t offbeat enough, D.C. also created the square planet of “Bizarro World,” a place where everything was backward or bizarre! ‘Yes’ meant no, ‘no’ meant yes, alarm clocks signaled bedtime, failing marks were a pass, and “Unhappy birthday” was wished on birthdays.

To some, the kingdom of God might also seem a bit “Bizarro.” The economy of the kingdom God is quite different than the economy of The kingdoms of this world. It is an enigma of opposites. Lose life to save it, childlikeness is greatness, giving results in receiving, servanthood is leadership, vulnerability answers violence, one seeks heaven and earthly needs are met, the last become first and the first become last.

When a Christian comes to selecting life’s priorities the equations of the kingdoms of this world are flipped. Instead of seeking one’s own best interests and satisfying one’s own desires, one “lays up” for the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:19-21). The Christian knows more than anyone the fleeting brevity of his or her present experience. The Christian senses eternity beckoning, covets Christ’s “Well done,” and seeks to lead others to Him. The Christian’s priorities are informed by the Spirit of Christ within. The Christian’s priorities become more and more the priorities of God.

When that happens Jesus promise becomes real: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7). But, as James reminds us, we go amiss when we pray selfishly, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (Jas. 4:3).

Setting priorities — successful priorities – is, for the Christian, more about obedience and submission than an array of options. Anything less than that is simply Bizarro!

Press on…

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