Priorities

1. Get your priorities in line. “Do you love me?”
Is your faith more important than your work, business, and life? What exactly are your priorities?

Take a moment and do a time assessment. How much time do you spend with your family, spouse, or children? How much time do you spend watching TV, internet browsing, texting, or using other media devices? How much time do you spend seeking God?

Take a moment and do a financial assessment. Where do spend the bulk of the money you have? What do you spend the bulk of your money on?

Peter had gone back to what he was doing before he ever met Jesus. He had started a fishing company. However, they weren’t doing very well. It was early in the morning about quitting time for fishermen and Jesus shows up and has made a fire, some fish and bread, and calls out to them and tells them to throw their net on the other side and they would catch fish. They do it, and catch 153 large fish. This is a fish fortune. Peter jumps in the water, swims ashore to see Jesus and the other disciples ground the boat and haul in the net. Together they have breakfast and Peter and Jesus get into the following conversation.

John 21:15 … Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (The large fish were of tremendous value as fish from Galilee were a delicacy with Romans, in Damascus, and in Jerusalem.) Jesus is referring to the fish that he had blessed them with catching.) “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” I can see the large fish lying on the side of the shore. I can see the disciple’s thoughts being taken back to these fish and knowing that they needed to get these fish sold that they could be taken to be salted, dried, and shipped. Fish had to be sold wet and the opportunity might soon be lost if they didn’t get them to market. “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” The need to get the business of selling the fish might well be why it was necessary for Jesus to repeat the question as the Lord would know what they were thinking. “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” If you have to ask someone three times whether they love you and the first two answers are yes there is a real heart battle going on for the priorities of that person’s life. The fact that the fish were there, the other men that loved Jesus were there sitting around a fire in the morning created a piercing place for accountability to take place. Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. 19… Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

“Follow me.” Jesus said. The first stepping stone in leading in the Kingdom is to get your priorities in line.

If Peter really loved Jesus he would not be fishing. If Peter loved Jesus he would be out looking for other men who needed to hear about the Kingdom of Heaven. If Peter really loved Jesus he would be fishing for men, fishing, feeding, and caring for the sheep, men God would allow him and these other disciples to catch. Peter was challenged with the need to make a clear decision about following Jesus. Was he going to abandon everything and follow Jesus and demonstrate that he loved him or was he going to go back to fishing?

Setting your priorities will order your life and give you a clear and definitive template for making decisions about time, money, and relationships. Setting your priorities may force you to abandon some things that may be financially sound, and time wise right now.

A great example of setting priorities about putting faith first and leading in that venue is the policy that Chic-fila has in place concerning taking Sunday off so that the team members can attend a place of worship or be involved in faith filled activities. It is clear that faith in God is CFA’s priority. They founders have a made decision which affects both how they use their time, and the financial profitability of their company. They do not even ask the question about how much money can be made on Sunday if they were open. Putting God first and faith in God first determines or should determine how we use our time and how we make our money and spend our money!

If you are going to be a follower of Christ you will have to abandon some things that you feel are good. Peter was a very good leader of guys who fished. He was a wealthy owner of a fishing company. However, he was better at fishing for men, feeding God’s people, and taking care of the things of God’s Kingdom. He left his business and the large fish to go back to following Jesus.

He did this because he loved Jesus. He did this because he loved Jesus. He did this because he loved Jesus.

Jesus is asking us the same question. “Do you love me, more than these?”

Just what are your priorities? How do priorities determine our work and profit? What is a good next step for determining your values for your life? What affect does faith and loving Jesus have on how you lead?