Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
(Matthew 6:33 NIV).
A woman bought a parrot to keep her company, but returned the next day, complaining it wouldn’t talk. The pet store owner asked. “Does he have a mirror? Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start chatting away.” She bought the mirror and left.
The next day, she returned. Still no talking. “What about a ladder?” the owner suggested. “Parrots love climbing. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot.” She bought the ladder.
Day three, same problem. “A swing!” the owner exclaimed. “Once he starts swinging, he’ll talk your ear off.” Reluctantly, she bought the swing.
On day four, the woman returned and said quietly, “The parrot died.” The owner was shocked. “I’m so sorry! Did he ever say anything?”
“Yes, right before he died, in a weak little voice, he asked, ‘Don’t they sell any food at that pet store?’”
Sound familiar? We do this all the time. We focus on the extras while the essentials go neglected. We tell ourselves we need the bigger house, the nicer car, the latest upgrade. Meanwhile, the things that actually sustain us get pushed aside.
We’re so busy decorating our lives that we forget to nourish them. We fill our homes with possessions while our souls go hungry. We’re climbing ladders and chasing the next big thing, completely missing what we actually need to thrive.
Jesus said instead: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NIV). We’ve got to get the order right. Put God first. His kingdom, His ways, His will. Everything else is of secondary importance.
And the good news is, when you get your priorities straight, God takes care of the rest. He knows what you need. But when we flip the script and chase everything except Him, we end up running in circles, wondering why we’re so tired and still so empty.
So here’s your assignment today: do a priority check. What’s taking up the bulk of your time, energy, and attention? Are you focused on what truly matters, or just adding more accessories to the cage?
Don’t wait until something in your life is gasping for air to realize you’ve been starving what’s essential while decorating what’s not.
Prayer: Lord, help me see clearly what truly matters and give me the courage to prioritize Your kingdom above all else. Forgive me for the times I’ve chased after distractions while neglecting what’s really important. Reorder my heart today so that seeking You comes first, trusting that You’ll provide everything I truly need. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day