Spending Time on the Right Priorities.

June 28, 2023

When I look at this photo I think about a simpler life. It represents long hours, hard work, and family. Sounds simple, but I’m sure at times it was anything but.

Those long hours required sacrifice and faith. You had to get up early and often relied on the weather to provide enough rain, but not too much. Enough sun, but not too much. Warm temperatures, but not too high. Animals needed care and they couldn’t just tell you what was wrong.

The hard work often meant back-breaking labor provided by the owner or those they hired. It meant planting, tending, harvesting, canning, freezing, and of course, daily cooking. You didn’t have the office send your paycheck directly to the bank. You rarely picked up something on the way home from work like we often do today.

Family was important. Everyone labored. Grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren. Cousins, nieces, and nephews chipped in. Often up early and sometimes late to bed. I know the cooks had their hands full when it came to providing meals to feed everyone.

So maybe simple isn’t the best word for it, but still the thoughts make me want to experience those days. Sometimes thinking about today versus those days makes me sad.

For instance, I’ve been spending more time than I’d like to admit weighing all the pros, cons, and costs to decide if I want to recommend to my wife that we stop paying for cable television and move to streaming everything. I know for many people that was just a decision they made.

For me, it has become a difficult decision.

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And I don’t like why it has become such a difficult decision.

For this to be such a difficult decision means I spend too much time watching television. If what I’m paying for cable is too expensive, then it feels like I’m paying for way more options than I need. If I’m having trouble replacing the many options with streaming packages, then it confirms I’ve become accustomed to too many options.

Like I said, “sad.”

If you feel like you long for a simpler time, or let’s call it a time where we spent more time on the really important things, let me encourage you to join me in focusing on God’s priorities for us.

When the Pharisees tested Jesus by asking Him to give them the greatest commandment, He responded with

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39, NIV)

We all would do well to assess our lives and determine if we are spending the most time on the most important. I’m going to look for ways to love the Lord and people more. How about you?

Though there are many ways to do this, probably low on list would be making sure they had the largest television viewing options available when visitors came to my house—that’s for sure.