Lesson 2: Establish Living Priorities!

I’m happy to admit that I live in the Apple universe. There are so many features I love about how each device remains in sync with the other. One of the main reasons I enjoy the Apple universe is its operating system. Apple continually updates its iOS (the operating system) that powers its devices and applications (apps) so its devices function as well as possible. If the iOS is not updated, the designed functionality of their devices is hindered.

The second lesson in “From a Former Displaced Pastor” involves how to establish your Is. As I explain Living Priorities, I’m going to compare it to an operating system and its apps.

Regardless of your loyalty to Android or Apple products, the principles remain the same. I must confess, I’m going to attempt to explain the complexity of operating systems and applications in the simplest terms, because I don’t have the training to communicate it in any other way.

The Operating System

Everything from phones to computers to watches has an operating system. This system operates behind the scenes. Each tap or swipe by the operator triggers the operating system to perform the intended function. The OS must be up to date to keep devices and applications working together at peak performance.

Each person has an operating system and apps. Our operating system involves how we interact with accomplishing tasks and how we do them. Our apps, which I will discuss in more detail later, are the priorities we have assigned to each moment of your lives. Each minute we live and each task we accomplish can be assigned a priority.

Each step we take, or each thought we have, each action we take, or each word we speak, requires a complex series of decisions and steps that involve skills, time, money, and physical ability.

Like our devices, we need to update our OS. We do this in at least two ways:

1. We practice discipline and good habits in these areas:

• Time Management
• Health Management
• Money Management

2. We develop our skills in these areas:

• Time Management
• Health Management
• Money Management

Updating your OS will help you break the bad habit of wasting time and energy on meaningless, lower-priority tasks.

The Apps

Our apps are the priorities we have assigned to each moment of your lives. Our apps are generally the same: work, family, faith, and health. Think about it for a moment. How do you spend your time? Are you so focused on your job that you have not saved any time for your family this week? Are you obsessed with making money or not having enough money? Are you spending so much time with your children that you neglect your spouse? If you are a Christ follower, have you forgotten the last time you had a quality time of Bible reading and prayer? Maybe your life is so busy that your diet consists of eating things wrapped in paper, and you haven’t used a fork in weeks.

The number of apps is important; four is a manageable number, and I recommend it. Most people would agree that work, family, faith, and health are the apps we should focus on.

The KEY to transforming your priorities into Living Priorities
is to place your apps in the proper ORDER.

Please note that for the remainder of my article, I will focus on the proper order of apps for Christ followers.

Many Christ followers have been told the importance of putting God first and agree with it, but few actually do. For this reason, it’s important to upgrade your OS (see above) and place God first. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you.”

Christ followers need God’s help to put Him first. You can do this through prayer, Bible study, and the Holy Spirit.

2. Self

You may wonder why self is next. You may think that sounds selfish. Self has to come next because we need a healthy mind, body, and spirit to function correctly. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

3. Family/Friends

My father died eighteen years before my mother passed away. She passed away almost thirty years ago. Many people share that story with me. Sadly, many people have living parents, but have a broken relationship with them. Many times, that fracture occurs because of “out of order” priorities. When you put faith and health before family, our relationships with family are more likely to become healthy.

4. Career/Calling

Too many people put this app first. Admit it. Aren’t we all guilty of this mistake?

It is very tempting to fall into the trap, but when work is a higher priority than faith, self, and family/friends, it’s only a matter of time before life crashes down around us.

Step 1: Discover your current list of priorities and their order.

Create a time-spending journal.

• Log how you spend your time for an entire week.
• How much time working, watching TV, interacting with Social Media, sleeping, spending time with family and friends, at church, etc?

Create a money-spending spreadsheet.

• How much do you receive and how much do you spend during a typical month?
• How much do you save? How much do you waste?

Be honest. Are your findings what you expected?

Step 2: Update your OS by developing your skills and habits.

By improving your OS, you will find that you have more time for the important things in life.

Step 3: Establish a new list of Living Priorities and get started.

I can’t possibly know everyone who will read this article, but God will. I will pray for you and ask God to help you establish and practice your living priorities.

Blessings,

Terry