Priorities

2 Cor. 4:5 "For we do not preach ourselves,but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake."

Priorities. We all have them. Sometimes if we are really organized we write them down and order our lives according to the list. For those of us who are not so together, we still have a list. We carry it around in our minds. Ultimately, what we say or what we write down does not really establish what our priorities are, but rather what we do...the decisions we make. Way too often what I claim my priorities are gets screwed up. I say that Jesus is first in my life and I say that others are second and I am last - you know that old JOY thing: Jesus, Others, You, but I act out this priority list in reverse really showing what my true priorities are. I make decisions based upon what I want. I toot my own horn. I want others to serve me.

This is not what Paul was all about. He had the JOY thing down. He did not proclaim who he was. He did not push his personal agenda. He did not exalt himself with people. The One he proclaimed, pushed and exalted was Jesus. Christ was preeminent. Jesus was the One who was lifted up.

Then what did Paul do? Where were his priorities? With others. He served people. He was a bondservant, a voluntary slave to others. He gave up his interests to serve the interests of others. Kind of reminds me of someone else. (See Phil. 2)

I need to look at my life. I need to constantly reevaluate what I do and why I do it. This thing called "self" is very sneaky. We need to kill it and then we need to live for Jesus and others. Proclaiming Him - not me. Serving others - not me. This is hard, but it is the only way to live the Christian life and ultimately make an impact in the world around us.