First Things First

As I've probably mentioned before, Proverbs is usually what I consider to be my favorite book of the Bible. That is certainly subject to change, and has often taken a back seat to other books at times, but I always find myself drawn back to the simple yet profound wisdom of Proverbs.

A proverb that has really been challenging me recently is 24:27, which says, "Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house." I've read that the "build your house" phrase may be an implication of marriage and building a family. If that's the case, then my initial application may be a bit out of context, but it still lines up well with overall biblical truth.

It's hitting me in this way: take care of what's important before you spend time on what is non-essential. You can live without a house, but you can't live without food. If you start working on what will make you comfortable instead of planting and tending to your crops, you're going to be in trouble. That's probably a pretty obvious truth, but I'm certain it causes problems for people every single day. Here's how it's been playing out for me recently.

The first area has been financial. I was blessed with some extra income for a time, and during that period it seemed that all kinds of needs came up. The washer had to be replaced and the dryer repaired. The van suddenly needed four new tires. We still needed money for Christmas presents and property taxes. (Those last two obviously come every year, but this was a convenient way to cover them.) Almost all of the extra income was exhausted, and yet here I am both surprised and pleased to see that there is some left over for me to "build my house"! And it comes with the peace of knowing that the "fields" were taken care of first.

The second area has been in regard to leisure time. I often find myself at home in the evenings wishing I could just have some "me time." And I've come to realize that I feel that way quite often (I am often surprised at my selfishness!) and can easily rationalize how I deserve a break. But the Lord has been challenging me and helping me to see that my wife and kids are more important than anyone else - including me, and I need to tend to their needs first. Of course the Bible confirms this repeatedly, such as in Philippians 2:1-4 or Ephesians 5:22-33. And again, I'm amazed at how He then provides me the opportunity to "build my house" and do some of those things I want to do.

The whole thing makes me think of Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."