Priority in Life

Sometimes, OK, probably often, the simplest truths are the most meaningful, and even the toughest to maintain faithfully.

In Proverbs 23, in the middle of some basic "do's" and "don'ts" appears "Live in the fear of the Lord...ALWAYS. (caps and ellipses added). Do I live in that healthy fear of the Lord? Am I striving to master the basics?

Soon after this appears the best investment advice I can find. "Buy wisdom, do not sell it." This is the best commodity to acquire and hold onto. So what have I "bought? What do I live for? And if I am in the Word regularly, I'm in the right place to "shop".

Wealth, drink, food, property, all seem to be hot items here, highly sought-after items. Yet wealth flies away like the eagle. Plentiful drink and food can make us selfish, or even feed our desire for more, as we slowly lose our pursuit of the Lord. Naturally, these items are not bad in and of themselves. Yet we are cautioned to love God more.

We can also pursue wisdom, instruction, understanding, and the degree to which we do so will guide how we live. Those we seek to reach for Christ will watch how we prioritize. They will watch how we make life choices, how we raise our children, how we deal with money and property and all those "things" that are inherent to this world. It's not having "stuff" that is the concern, but rather what we do with it, from our house, to our family, to our leisure time, to our thoughts words and deeds.

This proverb writer (likely Solomon) wants as much as anything for his son to live wisely. If we do not train our kids to live wisely (not just obey), then why have them?

James, in chapter 2 talks on wealth, reminding the church to be impartial to those wealthy or poor, for their hearts are what matter. Yeah, James read Proverbs, I'm certain.

He speaks on being selfless, if I can help someone, I should do so, and not wait.

He speaks on proper faith, proper fear of the Lord, after all, even demons believe in God. It is this proper faith that will guide my works, my daily living, and I should be able to look back each day and see how my life is prioritized. In short, I must live a life that shows people Christ.