The amazing coach Tom Landry once said that he had three priorities in life: God, family, and football—in that order. “Until you get your priorities straight you will never be truly successful at anything.”
I had the privilege of hearing him speak when I attended Dallas Baptist University. He was consistent with that theme throughout his life.
We too need to set our priorities. Like Coach Landry, God should be our first priority. Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV). All other life lessons are secondary to the foundation of being in awe of God. His instructions should be our top priority and glorifying Him through how well we represent Him on earth should be our goal.
Family must be our next priority. From the command to honor our parents in the Ten Commandments, to Paul’s admonition that we are worse than unbelievers if we fail to provide for family, we are told by God family matters. Too often we let our business crowd out our time for our families. Our careers get our best efforts and energies and many drag in the door with nothing left for their family.
Finally, comes football! Well, if you are the coach of God’s Team, the Cowboys, football is third. For the rest of us, that would be our careers. God desires us to work. He set the pattern and then inscribed into the Law that we are to work six days and rest the seventh.
If we follow our Creator’s instruction and keep our priorities straight, life will be more joyous and productive. So many in the world are chasing success by putting their career first. It will not work that way! Check your priorities today. Take time to write them down and make the commitment now to keep them in their rightful order.
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Ramblings by James 