Big Rocks for Strong Christ-Followers
An Introduction – Part I
Scripture Foundation: Matthew 23:23
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Before you read the Scriptural Foundation for Part I of this study, know that this study is not about a Christ-follower’s tithing or giving habits.
In this month’s study, I build a case for the importance of priorities in a believer’s life.
In today’s Scripture Foundation, Jesus was not saying these Pharisees were wrong in their passion to give a tithe of everything. Jesus was saying that they were not living out God’s priorities in their lives. See if you agree:
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” (Matthew 23:23).
So that we can keep clear on the real message of this passage, let me use a more modern-day illustration.
I wish I knew who first came up with this illustration, but I do not; it certainly was not me. Here it is:
If I challenge you to fill a class jar with sand, pebbles, and larger rocks, which of those should go in first, to get the most of all three in the jar?
If we fill it with the sand first, we will never get all the pebbles and larger rocks in the jar. If you put the pebbles in first, you will get a lot of the sand in, but not the larger rocks.
However, if you put the larger rocks in first, the pebbles and the sand can filter down through the spaces between the larger rocks and you can get the most of all of them in the jar.
Hopefully we can use this to give us one of the most important lessons in a Christ-followers life: make sure you are getting the big rocks in your life first!
You will have room for other things, but even if you do not, you will have put your life in the order of priorities that God would want for you!
Jesus was never afraid to be very forthright about the fact that God’s Kingdom has priorities. Not all truths have the same importance.
Father, help me to have your priorities. Amen!