Our main priority must be furthering God’s kingdom and living the way He wants us to live (Mt 6:33). However, some religious duties are more important than others (Ps 40:6, NET). For example, providing for the financial, spiritual, or emotional needs of parents and those members of our household is a key priority (1 Tim 5:4, 8). However, this is a lesser priority than following Christ (Lk 9:60, BSB note). Similarly, doing what would normally be good is wrong if Christ told us to not do it because obeying Him is a greater priority (Mk 1:45, Dake note).
We need to recognize, then prioritize, what is most important because we should not try to give equal time, energy, and resources to every issue (1 Thess 5:15, NJB). Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan understood the key issue of their day and set their goals to reflect that insight (ending slavery and defeating communism). Isn’t this what each of us has to do? We should prioritize paying our bills over using that money for leisure. Time with our spouse and children ought to be more important than time watching television (Eph 5:16, ESV). If we cannot attend all of our children’s activities, we should determine what ones are most important for us to attend. We would do well to rank the duties of each day on the basis of what is most vital (Isa 48:17, NIV).
Successful people are good at prioritizing. Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln did so on the basis of what was right: accomplishing basic reform and providing hope for further change, realizing the agenda and threat of another nation, and recognizing the wrongness of a system which, in essence, said, ‘You work so I can eat.’ (Slavery’s motto in Lincoln’s day; the Welfare State’s motto in our day). Priorities are about moral choices. Let us prioritize according to the morals God has said are pivotal.
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.