Discerning Godly Priorities
Midweek Devotion
Good morning,
Today I thought we would reflect upon life’s priorities. Actually, I thought we’d take a closer look at how to discern life’s priorities. We often find ourselves entangled in a web of competing demands, each vying for our attention with varying degrees of urgency and importance. It’s in this intricate “dance of priorities” that we must learn the delicate art of discernment.
The Good vs. The Best
“Don’t let the good become the enemy of the best.” This phrase, whose origins may stretch back to the stoics, carries a profound truth. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that prioritizing our lives is simply a matter of choosing between the worst and the best ways to spend our time. However, the reality is far more nuanced.
On any given day, we’re presented with a multitude of “good” options. These are activities, relationships, and pursuits that are worthwhile and beneficial. Yet, hidden among these good choices lies what we might consider the “best option” - that person, activity, or goal most deserving of our time, focus, and energy.
The challenge lies not in distinguishing good from bad, but in discerning good from best. It requires a keen eye and a disciplined mind to look beyond the immediate appeal of the good and recognize the superior value of the best.
The Urgent vs. The Important
Alongside this discernment between good and best, we must also navigate the tension between the urgent and the important. My mentor in seminary used to describe urgent matters as “little baby ducks nipping at our ankles.” These are the daily tasks that demand our immediate attention - bills to pay, errands to run, emails to answer.
In contrast, the truly important things in life - our relationship with God, connections with loved ones, personal growth - often don’t clamor for our attention. They patiently await our engagement, easily overlooked in the constant noise of urgent demands.
This dichotomy presents a crucial challenge: How do we attend to the necessary urgent matters of life without neglecting the quietly important?
Biblical Wisdom on Prioritization
The Scriptures offer us vast insights into this balancing act. Consider the example of Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro. In Exodus 18, we find Moses consumed by the urgent task of settling disputes among the Israelites. While this work was undoubtedly important for maintaining social order, it was distracting Moses from his primary calling as a leader.
Jethro, observing this, offered sage advice:
What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. (Exodus 18:17-18)
He then suggested a system of delegation, appointing godly, honest, and capable leaders to handle minor disputes, freeing Moses to focus on his most important role - leading the people and communing with God.
Similarly, in Acts 6, we see the early apostles facing a dilemma. The urgent need to care for widows was threatening to distract them from their primary calling of prayer and preaching. Their solution? They appointed seven Spirit-filled and wise deacons to manage this important task, allowing them to remain focused on their core mission.
We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4)
These biblical examples illuminate a crucial principle: Even good and urgent tasks must sometimes be delegated or deprioritized to make room for what is truly best and most important.
The Power of Focused Investment
Perhaps the most important example of prioritization comes from our Lord Jesus himself. Despite the multitudes that sought his attention, Jesus chose to invest deeply in just twelve disciples. This wasn’t because the crowds were unimportant, but because Jesus recognized the strategic value of intensive mentorship. By pouring his life and teachings into a select few, he ensured that his message would spread far beyond his earthly ministry.
This principle of focused investment is echoed in the Apostle Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). In this single verse, we see a vision for four generations of impact through intentional discipleship. Paul understood that by prioritizing the deep training of a few faithful individuals, the reach of the gospel would expand exponentially.
These examples remind us that sometimes, doing less can actually accomplish more. By focusing our energy on what matters most and investing deeply in key relationships and responsibilities, we can have a greater long-term impact than if we spread ourselves too thin trying to do everything.
For a deeper exploration of Jesus’ discipleship method, Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism offers greater depth into Jesus’ “master plan” as well as valuable insights into how we can apply these principles in our own lives and ministries. (I highly recommend it.)
Practical Application
So how do we apply these principles in our daily lives? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Set aside time to prayerfully consider your priorities. What truly matters most to you? What aligns with your values and calling?
2. Categorize your tasks and commitments into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. (This exercise will be familiar to many of you who’ve read Stephen Covey.)
3. Like Moses and the apostles, learn to delegate tasks that others can handle. Be willing to eliminate activities that don’t align with your core calling and priorities. However, as our biblical examples also teach us, be very prayerful and discerning regarding who you invest in and to whom you delegate.
4. Don’t wait to “find” time for important things. Proactively schedule (“make”) time for prayer, relationships, and personal growth.
5. Saying “no” to good things allows you to say “yes” to the best things.
6. Periodically assess how you’re spending your time and energy. Are you focusing on what’s truly important, or are you being carried along by the urgent?
As you embark on this journey of discernment and prioritizing, remember the words of the Apostle Paul:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. (Philippians 1:9-10) (emphasis mine)
May we all grow in wisdom and discernment, learning to prioritize the best over the merely good, and the truly important over the merely urgent.
Your brother in Christ,
Dale
Thanks again for joining me in this devotion. If you’ve found value in these words, I encourage you to share this post with others who might benefit. And if you’d like to receive more content like this, please consider subscribing to my newsletter (see buttons below). May the Lord bless you.
Excellent writing Dale. Thank you