Peter was a man much like many of us today. He was married, owned a fishing boat, and worked hard to provide for his family. He had loved ones he cared for and responsibilities that filled his day-to-day life. In many ways, Peter did all the things we do—working, taking care of his family, and handling the daily tasks that come with living in this world.
Yet, Peter found a way to serve God amidst all these responsibilities. He learned how to prioritize his relationship with Christ, even when the demands of life were pressing. But it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when Peter, like many of us, allowed the cares of this world to get in the way of following God.
Jesus warned about this very thing in Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
At one point, Peter let these cares cloud his judgment, allowing the things of this world to take precedence over his spiritual calling.
But God knows we must eat, sleep, work, take care of our families, and handle all of life’s necessities. He understands our human needs and does not call us away from these responsibilities. However, He does call us to ensure that these things do not pull us away from Him.
Luke 9:59-62 illustrates this perfectly.
“And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
In these verses, Jesus is emphasizing the urgency and priority of following Him. He rebukes those who are hesitant or who put other obligations above their commitment to Him, illustrating that following Jesus requires a single-minded focus.
In these verses, Jesus was not telling the people to neglect their families or abandon their duties. Instead, He was highlighting how they had allowed worldly concerns to take priority over their spiritual obligations. Jesus was calling them—and us—to examine our hearts and ensure that nothing comes before our commitment to follow Him.
So how are we to balance this? The answer lies in prioritizing Christ above all else. We are called to follow Him first. He must be our primary focus, our highest obligation. Not our home, not our job, not our food, not our relationships—nothing else should take precedence over God.
When we place God in His rightful place, everything else will fall into line. As Psalm 37:4 reminds us, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
When we put God first, He helps everything and everyone in our lives to fall into place according to His perfect plan.
While the necessities of life are important, they must never overshadow our relationship with Christ. Like Peter, we may face times when the cares of this world try to pull us away from God, but we must remember to always prioritize Him. When we do, we’ll find that God not only meets our needs but also blesses us with the desires of our hearts in ways we could never imagine.
