Relationships

Relationships.

Some come so easy, some are so much work, and some I just don't want. 

My sister-in-law has a list by her kitchen sink listing relationships and each groups priority.

1) God

2) Spouse

3) My Children

4) Family (those who I'm related to biologically, adopted or married into) 

     & Friends

I've been thinking about the list a lot since I noticed it a few weeks ago. If I change the list in anyway, all the rest will suffer. Some friends may think they're more important than my children, or family may think they should come before my spouse.

If God is not most important and given the greatest priority, all the remaining relationships will suffer. If my relationship with my children comes before my husband, my marriage will suffer (not to mention the children as well).

If I spent too much time with extended family and friends, but ignore my children, they will grow up without a mother who they're convinced loves them because her time was spent elsewhere.

Far too often I'm guilty of allowing two-four to become number one. The relationships suffer. The day is destroyed. The moment to glorify God passes and I'm left with scattered pieces to pick up and attempt to repair.

If God became each of our highest priority all the time and then our spouse and then our children and then all others, can you imagine what the life of the church would look like? I'm convinced it would be a refreshing difference than what we witness now.