The nestled priorities
Martha Olawale
The division, wickedness, and uproar all around me bother me, so as I lie awake in the night, asking God what I can do in my little corner in the world to remind people how much God loves us and wants to see us do better in taking care of one another, the picture of the nestling bowls came to my mind.
It’s easier to store and carry ten bowls when they are fitted right, with the smaller ones going into the bigger ones. The Holy Spirit reminded me, through this visualization, of God's place and why He must always be our foundational priority. Matthew 22:37-38 states, “And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment.” Anything built outside that priority will lack steadiness, wholeness, and rest.
Verse 39 of that same chapter further says, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” “Your neighbor” refers to our humanity; people God brings our way. So, the order is God first, humanity second; not race, not bank account, not church denomination, not politics. God first, then our humanity. Any world system or ideology established outside these fundamental rules of love can’t flourish.
We are losing our humanity because we have misplaced our priorities. We try to fit God into our small boxes instead of fitting everything into God's plan. We also lose our humanity when we judge others' joy and pain based on race, financial worth, politics, or religion. I don’t care if you are pink, red, or yellow; Christian or unchristian—if you are human, even if I don’t know you, I feel connected to you because we were created by the same God, and your pain in some way affects me.
God said in Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.” Just because I look different, talk differently, or live in a different neighborhood doesn’t mean your pain shouldn't hurt my heart, and your joy shouldn't gladden it. To stay human, we must love other humans regardless of who they are.
Set your priorities wisely. Love God, be a good person, prioritize your spouse if you're married, and raise your children to be godly and responsible citizens of the world. Don't focus solely on priorities like career, education, politics, or race. Yes, they are important, but they should be placed in a larger perspective. Nest your priorities carefully, with God as the foundation, because only then will you find the rest you need to navigate this complex world..
