This morning, I woke up with a long list of things that I need to get done. There’s an app redesign, a completely unexpected invasion of really tiny ants that needs to be dealt with, a message to finish, an appointment to make, a few more appointments to keep, and the list goes on. Side note, if any of you has a fix for getting rid of tiny ants, please share it with me! I don’t want this to become a giANT problem. Like I said, there’s a list.

But first, I made coffee and spent time with Jesus.

“But first.”

“But first” is a simple two-word reminder that there are some things that deserve first priority. It doesn’t mean everything else isn’t important, just that everything else isn’t important enough to demand our first attention, first energy, or first commitment.

Priorities are like rungs on a ladder, and when the first ones are missing, it’s nearly impossible to utilize the others. “But first” causes me to ask the soul-searching question, “What am I giving my best to?”

Jesus understood the principle of first things and highlighted it during His famous sermon. He knew that when we got our hearts focused on Him and His kingdom, we’d be prepared for whatever else the day might bring.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭NIV, emphasis mine)

There are a million things that demand our attention, but only a few things that deserve our affection. The temptation is to jump right in and start attacking all those other things. To give the best of ourselves to things that might not make us better.

But first, pause. Slow down. Breathe. Remember the God who is already working behind the scenes on all those things that are screaming for your attention. He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers. How much more will He take care of us?

Even little, tiny ants.

How fANTastic is that?!

Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash

I read a lot of leadership books, and most of them are packed with amazing insights, skills, and tips. But so many times they all have one fatal flaw: they’re only about leading well.

Don’t misunderstand, leading well is critical, and I am my own worst critic when it comes to doing it well, but Jesus brought an upside-down mentality to leadership that rocked the world: leading well begins with serving well.

After hearing His followers arguing over places of power and position — you know, the things we associate with really great leaders — Jesus spoke clearly and without stuttering:

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (Mark‬ ‭10:43‬ ‭NIV, emphasis mine)

Not. So. With. You.

Ouch.

Jesus was teaching a new value. He reminded His followers that the world is all about lording power over others, but the Kingdom is all about having a Lord with power over us. Calling Jesus Lord means we can’t act as lords over anyone else. Ever.

That means we don’t use our positions and power to make people do what we want. Instead, we use our positions and power to model for people what Jesus did.

…he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John‬ ‭13:4-5‬ ‭NIV)

Serve well, and you’ll soon find that you’re leading well, too.

When we’re sick, nothing tastes Ikes it’s supposed to. This was a fact long before COVID introduced us to the concept of eating things that had no taste, but COVID has definitely highlighted the way a sickness can impact our senses.

Of course, that means when we’re sick and things don’t taste as they should, it’s not the food’s fault. It’s a signal that something is wrong with us. King David wrote about this in the 34th Psalm:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:8‬ ‭NIV, emphasis mine)

David made sure we knew what the Lord should taste like, and that means if we taste the Lord and He doesn’t seem good, the problem isn’t with God, but us. That can be hard to hear because we want to avoid feeling condemned when we’re already in a tough place and our soul is sick and we can’t taste, but remember that there is no condemnation for followers of Jesus (Romans 8:1).

But there is an invitation to come back to the table and have our taste restored. God is restoring our senses and reviving our souls! He is working everything out for our good, and so that we can taste the goodness again.