Matthew 6:33 tells us very clearly that we have to put first things first in our life.
The story is told of the post-season baseball playoffs.
Two teams, right down to the wire, battling in the bottom of the ninth and tied up 5-all with two outs. Up to the plate stepped the team's last hope. He let the first pitch go by-ball one, ball two. Two foul balls and an outside pitch later, finally the count - 3 balls 2 strikes. One last pitch comes over the plate. The batter - wham he cracks that ball and its going somewhere. The center fielder backs up. He is fading fast. Here comes that ball, he can't get to it. It hits the wall and bounces. He comes down he trys to grab that ball he scoops it up and he makes that throw down to the shortstop. Now the third base coach is measuring the situation. Should he send that runner home or not? So he sends him home. He takes off toward home plate. Here comes the throw from the center fielder. The shortstop picks it up. He turns and whips that ball right down to the catcher. He comes the batter. He is running in to the home plate. He gets there just as that ball comes and foot touches the base. Touch comes and he tags him. What's the call from the umpire? He yells "You're outta here!". The dugout goes crazy the grandstand goes ballistic. How in the world can he be out? The umpire called him out because he didn't touch first base.
It was true. The batter beat the ball home-but he had run so hard that he had missed touching first base.
Now there is a lesson in this for you and I.
We can do a lot of things, we can run all over the place, we can be so busy, we can be even doing lots of good things, but unless we touch first base, it won't matter much.
Look what it says in Matthew 6:33 check it out, notice what it says ("Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."). It tells us very clearly you have to put first things first in your life then you can be sure you won't be thrown out at the plate.
For GN Magazine, I'm Steve Myers.
