Priorities, Priorities

The world is so busy that we forget what is important by tending to the urgent. The urgent is the immediate demands of trifling requirements. The important is what makes life worth living beyond today. Hear this story and ask God to help apply it in your life. The author is unknown to me. One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used this pertinent illustration. As he stood before the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz,” as he pulled out a gallon Mason jar, and set it on the table. He also pulled out a dozen fist-sized rocks and placed them in the jar. When the jar could hold no more rocks, he asked, “Is the jar full?” “Yes,” they all said.

“Really?” replied the Professor as he reached for a bucket of gravel. As he poured the gravel in, shaking the jar to settle the gravel as far down as it could go until no more gravel could fit, he asked, “Is it full?” “Probably not,” one replied. Dumping sand in the same manner as the gravel until no more could fit, “Is it full?” “No!” they all said. Then he poured in the water till it overflowed. “Now?” “Yes, it is full!”

“What is my point?” he asked. An eager beaver answered, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, there is always room to do more.” “No,” said the professor. The point is if you don’t put the big rocks; the important things; family, faith, dreams, a worthy cause, in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

Let’s remember this when it comes to our life with Christ. -- Ben