Critical Priorities

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'

'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.'” John 9:1-5

When the disciples saw the blind man they were only concerned about how he'd gotten that way. They wanted to look back at his past as if it mattered for his present situation and future. They were under the assumption that someone, somewhere sinned, it resulted in the man's blindness and they needed to know about it. Yet, Jesus pointed out the importance lay in the reason for his healing rather than the reason for his blindness in the past. He also pointed out night was coming and they must work while it's day to glorify God. 


Countless Church groups exist to help people explore their pasts, analyze them, come to some understanding of them and utilize them. As if to wrap "life" up into a neat little glow stick that can be carried into their future, shedding light on their path for no other purpose, but their own satisfaction.

Urgency has been lost. We've taken the focus off God, put it on ourselves and taken our eyes off the prize. We're misusing gifts and abilities given by God for God on ourselves. We're wasting what we've been blessed with on ourselves. We're distracted with all sorts of anxieties. Instead of throwing everything off, we further distract ourselves by excessive indulgences with all sorts of amusement, expenditures and pleasures.Christ gave a distinct warning concerning this...


"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap." Luke 21:34

There are numerous warnings in Scripture to keep focused and live our lives with a sense of urgency because not only is Christ's return at hand, but we don't know what hour it will happen.

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

We live in evil times and they are getting worse. Our opportunities seem to be dwindling and it falls in line with Scripture and the end days. When we have to stand before Christ, He's not going to be asking about or concerned with how we came to know and understand ourselves. He'll be demanding to know how we came to know and understand Him and how we put that into practice by taking advantage of every opportunity for Him.


"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity." Colossians 4:5

Where we see an opportunity to glorify God and preach the Gospel, it must be done. The more attention and time we waste on us, the more likely it is that His return will slam down on us like a trap and we'll be left with empty hands, wasted tools and incredible shame before Him.