More important than God?

What are the things that are more important than God? The answer you tell a pastor is “no thing” is more important than God. Right. You get a gold star.

But what’s the real answer in your life? What are the things, people, ideas, or beliefs that you place first above God? What are those things that you will listen to without a second thought?

Is it your comfort? Convenience? Those may sound like easy to answer questions here. “Of course not!” Really? Did you stop to help the homeless person with a sign saying they needed some food? Or was it too inconvenient? Or did you have some other excuse for not stopping? “Well, they aren’t really that bad off.” “Well, they are just trying to get a free handout.” “They may try to mug me!” “I Don’t have time — besides, there are agencies that help people like that. I’m not trained to do what they need.” etc.

How about your stuff? Is it more important than God? Do you have a difficult time giving your stuff away? Could you give away your favorite article of clothing, book, food? How about your iPhone? Could you give that away?

What about people in your life? Any of them more important than God? Your family? Your spouse? Your kids? Parents? Siblings? Other loved ones? Could you do what Abraham almost did to Isaac — offer him up as a sacrifice — if God called on you to do that? Yikes!

How about your money? “But pastor, I give my money at church and to charity.” Great! Could you follow Jesus’ command to sell all you have and give…