Let the Main Thing Be the Main Thing

“When you have nothing left but God, then for the first time you become aware that God is enough.”

—MAUDE ROYDEN

Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)—[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).

—1 John 5:21

God is a jealous God, and the only place satisfying to Him is the one He rightfully deserves, which is first place in everything. The only way things can go right in our lives is if we strive to keep God in that place of honor, that place of priority. I say we must strive, because if we put no effort into it, then it never happens. Busyness can quickly get our priorities out of line as well as trick us into the deceitfulness of riches.

When it comes to keeping your priorities straight, we see two different responses in the story of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. Mary seated herself quickly at the Lord’s feet to listen to everything He said, but Martha was busy trying to serve the guests and keep the house clean. She got very upset that Jesus wasn’t making Mary help her, but He told her Mary had made the better choice. He even told Martha she was anxious and worried about many things and missing the main point of His visit (see Luke 10:38–42). That day, Martha’s life became very frustrating and complicated while Mary’s stayed peaceful and serene.

There was another time when Jesus met a rich young ruler who wanted to know what he had to do to experience eternal salvation. When Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor and follow Him, the young man went away sad because he had so many possessions (see Luke 18:18–23). His possessions deceived him. He did not realize that God was testing him; had he been willing to give them all up in order to have God, then he would eventually have been given more than he had given away. A great many people make that same mistake. They fearfully hang on to what they have and lose what they could have. They accept “stuff” that can never satisfy like Jesus can. They settle for the good instead of soaring for the great. Make a decision to let the main thing be the main thing in your life. Jesus is the main thing!