Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
The consultant pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of the executives. Then he produced a number of fist-sized rocks and put each of them into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked: “Is this jar full?” Everyone said: “Yes.” “Really?” He then produced some gravel and shook the jar as he poured it in to get it down into all the spaces between the big rocks. He asked them again: “Is the jar full?” Now they weren’t so sure. “Probably not.” “Correct!” He pulled out a bag of sand and poured it gently into the jar, filling the gaps left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked: “Is this jar full?” “No!” they shouted. “You’re catching on!” he said. Next he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked: “What is the point of this illustration?” One enthusiastic younger executive piped up: “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!” The consultant replied: “Sorry, you’re wrong, that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is:
If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”
I hope that the Big Rock in your life is Jesus, but what are the other ‘big rocks’? How about time with your loved ones, your education, dreams, investing in others? Spend some time today identifying those big rocks and resolving to put them in the jar first, or you’ll never get them in the jar at all.
Lord, I choose today to seek first your kingdom and righteousness. Guide me in identifying and prioritising the other ‘big rocks’ in my life and putting them in the jar. Amen!
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