Getting Your Big Rocks In

When it comes to our lives – two things are clear. There are more rocks than we’ve got jar space! If we want to make the most of our jar space - we’ve got to make sure to get the biggest rocks in first.

As we come into another fall, there will be lots of “rocks” vying your time and attention. Some of them appear to be big when really they are small. Some of them appear insignificant but in God’s eyes are large.

Question? What, according to God and His word, are the big rocks?

Short answer comes from Matt. 6:25-33

Matt. 6:25-33 (NIV)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

If the Q is “what are the big rocks according to God”, the A is “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”

Great. But what does that mean?

Matt 6:33 (NLT) “…he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”

OK – maybe that get’s us closer. But again, what does that really mean – in practical concerns?

It means that the “big rocks” in our life take us back to eternal things. And as I’ve said before, there are really only a couple of things that last for eternity. Our relationship with God, and our relationships with people. Where do I get this?

When Jesus was asked what the “big rocks” were, his response was…

Matt. 22:34-40 (NIV)

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Here we see Jesus’ answer to the question, “What are the big rocks?”

1. Love God.

2. Love people.

1. Love God

It’s one thing to say “I love God” and it’s another thing to demonstrate it. I can love chocolate but I don’t have to do anything about it. I can love country music but it doesn’t require anything of me. However – Jesus said if you love him, it would be demonstrated through your actions. Here’s a direct quote from John 14:15:

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

And so, in order for us to honestly put the “love God” rock into our jar first, we have to understand that means a commitment to DOING what God commands in our lives. That’s why he said the first command is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. It’s not just a feeling we have. It’s a relationship with God that permeates everything we do in life.

Quite honestly, God doesn’t want to be one of the “rocks” in your life. He wants your relationship with Him to be something that changes the way you live your life. It changes the decisions you make about what you will spend your time doing.

When you love God – it is something that will be noticed by others. It is something that demands time and energy. It needs to be the first and most important “rock” in the “jar” of your life.

2. Love people.

I’ve often said there are only two things in life that will last forever: our relationship with God, and our relationships with people.