What’s important to you? What are your priorities? What do you value more than anything else? I think many of us would answer by saying that we value our relationship with God the most. I would say that but recently the Lord made me scrutinize my life and make me reflect on what I put on a pedestal. I like to think that God is the only one on a pedestal in my life but I have to admit that He has been sharing that position with other people and things. I have been giving too much value to His creation at times and I am working on changing those patterns. It requires help and direction from the Holy Spirit. It requires introspection and honesty. It’s like looking at yourself in the mirror and having to deal with some imperfections that need to go away and that can actually go away with discipline.
A pedestal is a position in which someone or something is greatly or uncritically admired. “Uncritically” is a key word here because often when we put someone on a pedestal we are unable to think objectively. Have you ever heard someone talk about a tv show that they adore and it made you feel strange because you wonder why they love it so much? They put the show on a pedestal. They wouldn’t miss it for the world. It becomes an idol so to speak. I believe tv shows, movies and music are meant to be sources of entertainment. I have nothing against them. However, I have been made aware of how much I love some of that entertainment too much. Once something takes up too much space in my life to the point where it diminishes my interaction with God, I need to rethink it. I have been recalibrating a lot so that God is a priority over any Thursday night tv shows or any person whom I might admire too much. It’s good to have favorite shows we watch all the time but if I am tired and I need to choose between watching a show or praying, praying needs to win. It gets easier with the support of the Spirit of the Lord.
Whoever or whatever you have on a pedestal will influence your way of thinking, your actions and your words. Putting God on a pedestal and making sure we don’t put anyone else there is basically fulfilling the commandment to love God with all our heart. Some will argue that we need to love our neighbor with all our heart too and that is very true but God should take precedence. Loving God first does mean that we will love our neighbor as well anyway. We shouldn’t admire anyone more highly than we admire God. He gave us our family and friends and He should be praised for that but the people He gave us are not to take His place. Let’s pray that the Lord reveals to us all the people that are occupying our pedestal. Chances are we are not even realizing that we value them too highly. Once God is the only one on a pedestal and we keep Him there, we will see some drastic changes in our spiritual life. That unique connection will grow stronger. Let’s recalibrate and make the changes that we need. God first and everyone else second!
Suggested reading: Exodus 20:3; Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:34
Words of hope for today 