I think we can all agree that videogames are super fun, and most of us would say they are an important part of our lives. I think I can also say with much confidence that our jobs, finances, families, and friends also fall into the “important bucket”. Growing up my family never had much money, we certainly didn’t have much family time between all the screaming and fighting, I can count the number of healthy friendships I’ve had on one hand, and was extremely absorbed into my job before becoming a stay-at-home-mom because I was so concerned about having more money all the time. So each of those things definitely holds significant weight in my life, and it can be extremely difficult to place these things as less important than each other or anything else. I truly feel that is a struggle most, if not all, of us have to some degree.
So where should each of these things fall along the importance scale? The answer is actually pretty simple.
In Mark 9, Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a mountain and this is where Jesus temporarily stripped off His humanity and let His deity shine bright. He proved His divine identity in that moment, and while doing so had Elijah and Moses there speaking with Him in the presence of Peter, James and John. Peter then took it upon himself to interrupt Jesus and offer to help Him by creating shelters for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses – notably, he placed all 3 of them as equals in this offer to help. So in this incredible moment where God let His light shine upon the faces of these earthly men, Peter failed to recognize the importance of the moment, the importance of Jesus, and also had the grand idea that he could help Jesus. It doesn’t stop there, though. After Peter had totally killed the moment and made a fool of himself, God scolded Peter.
‘Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” ‘ Mark 9:7
What is God really saying here?
“Jesus is more important than Elijah and Moses, whom you just tried to make equals. Don’t try to help him, just be quiet and listen to him!”
You ever find yourself trying to “help” God? Or argue with Him about what should be done? Do you ever find yourself placing “things” of this world above Jesus?
Yeh, me too.
When we try to help God or “reason” with Him that our way is better, we are placing ourselves above God. When we prioritize money, friends, family, fame, work, or anything else above Christ, we are failing to make Him Lord of our lives. This in turn starts to clog our spirits as we grow more out of tune with Him, and further away from the work God wants to do in our lives.
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20
We are called to something greater than to be content with earthly rewards. As much as we enjoy our video games, value family time and friends, work hard to have more money and buy more “things”, these things should all fall under the Lordship of Christ. It is okay to place value on the things we love and enjoy, but what we so often find ourselves doing is placing Jesus in one bucket and everything else in another, separating them. What we need to do is bring every part of our lives under the Lordship of Christ. Let Him rule over every aspect of our lives. When Jesus is the Lord of our lives, we make Him higher than anything else. He becomes our highest influencer, the most important, highest ranked Saviour and Ruler of everything we have, do and say. We are not called to just include Him in the important things; He needs to be placed above them because when He is not above it all, we risk destroying it all – just as Peter ruined the moment where Jesus stripped off his humanity for a tiny sneak peek at His true divine identity.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with life, stressed out and not sure what to do, take a look under your umbrella and see where you have placed your “important things”. Are they under Christ, or separated? Reach out to Him to help you get refocused and realigned, and unclog your spirit from our human perception of “important”.
‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ‘
Colossians 3:17
