Friday, November 28, 2014

Matthew 6: Looking Out For Number One

Who's Number One in your life?  While Matthew 6 includes an array of practical teaching on many spiritual topics, the underlying theme of them all is the importance of giving God the first place in your life.

That's why, when it comes to the practice of piety in the spiritual disciplines (giving, praying, fasting, etc. as recounted in Matthew 6:1-18), we really shouldn't engage in them "to be seen" or to garner the praise of others.  That's doing the right thing for the wrong reason.  Our reward becomes earthly rather than spiritual.  We serve ourselves rather than God when we engage in such showy displays.

When it comes to choosing whether to live for God or money as discussed in Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus again emphasizes giving the place of pre-eminence in our lives to God.  We cannot serve both God and Money as our ultimate master, and we would be better off storing up treasure in heaven rather than earth.

Finally, worries shouldn't consume our attention.  Matthew 6:25-34 teaches us that simple trust in God is enough, and to focus on anxieties about eating and drinking and clothing is to miss the higher point of life.  As Jesus says, "Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well."

God should come before ourselves, before money, and before our worries.  Make God and His Kingdom your Number One priority in life - you won't regret it!

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