An alarm.
A splash of water.
A brush through the hair.
A cup to wake up.
A drive.
Catching up with friends.
ToDo lists.
Meetings.
Herding cats.
Phone calls.
Eventually getting some work done.
Another drive.
The wind down.
Family/personal time.
A different ToDo list, maybe.
Running errands.
The second wind down.
Falling asleep way too early.

And repeat…

Although the above is a highly generalized version of our day, it does show how they can be filled with many things to do. Unfortunately, it’s easy to loose focus on eternal things when we live like that for days, weeks, months and years on end. If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves thinking more like an unbeliever than a child of God. So let’s take a look at what Jesus had to say about this topic to help us retain our focus.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In verse 25, Jesus tells us to not worry about our basic needs of food, drink, and clothing. Then he asks us a question which prepares us for the answer he’ll give in verse 33 — the question being, “Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?” That question gets at the heart of every unbelievers life — making sure their basic needs are met to their level of comfort — but Jesus tells us this should not be the focus of believers.

Then in verses 26-30, he gives us two illustrations that I believe help provide a foundation to the question regarding our basic needs. The illustrations of the birds and the wildflowers describe how neither of them do anything to take care of their future needs, yet God still provides for them. More importantly, the illustrations define how much more valuable people are than the wildflowers or the birds. So if God places much more value on people, then how much more will he take care of the needs of his people?!

He even goes as far to say, in verse 32, “For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” The HCSB uses the word idolaters instead of gentiles because becoming an idolater is what happens when your thoughts are focused on seeking after only your basic needs. The NLT further clarifies this incorrect focus by saying, “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers…” but they should not dominate the believer’s thoughts. So what should dominate the believer’s thoughts then? What should equally dominate your mind while you conquer your daily ToDo list?

Jesus’ answer: His Kingdom and His Righteousness.

In verse 33, Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” God will provide us “all these things” — all our needs — when we make it a priority to seek his kingdom and righteousness first, before our own needs. It’s counter-cultural and, at times, almost illogical during bad economies, but it’s what we’re commanded to do. He’s calling us to be ambassadors/representatives for his kingdom and his righteousness. So what is his kingdom and righteousness?

His Kingdom

Generally speaking, I think God’s kingdom could be viewed from two perspectives: a future one and present one. I think his future kingdom is what most people think of when asked to describe God’s kingdom — it’s where believers will spend eternity with God in Heaven. Mark 9:47 provides a good example of seeing God’s kingdom as a future one.

Mark 9:47

And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Jesus’ warning that it’s better to enter the kingdom of God (or Heaven) with only one eye instead of going to hell with two eyes shows that God’s kingdom can be viewed as something in the future.

However, I believe Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 – 7) show us a great example of God’s kingdom in the present. The present kingdom of God is where God sets up, through his believers, an example of himself for this sinful world to see. Take a moment to read through the following list of topics that Jesus teaches on during the Sermon on the Mount:

• The Beatitudes:
  • Being poor in spirit
  • Mourning
  • Gentleness
  • Thirsting for righteousness
  • Being merciful
  • Being pure in heart
  • Being a peacemaker
  • Being persecuted for righteousness
• Believers are the salt and light of the world
• Christ fulfills the law
• Murder begins in the heart
• Adultery begins in the heart
• Divorce
• Telling the truth
• Going the second mile
• Loving your enemies
• How to give
• How to pray
• How to fast
• Being careful with our possessions
• Do not judge
• Requesting things from God
• Evangelism
• Jesus Christ is the strong foundation

These topics are not just nice ideas from God, they are his instructions to us for being his kingdom here on earth! This is why Jesus calls believers to let their light shine in Matthew 5.

Matthew 5:14-16

14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

God’s kingdom is not just something we look forward to in the future, it is what every believer is a part of in this present world!

His Righteousness

The greek word for righteousness is dikaiosyne <dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay>, which means justification, or a Christian’s right-standing with God. However, it also portrays the idea having the highest values in character and actions. It’s the motives behind our character and what we do.

Not only are we called to represent God’s kingdom by being his light in this dark world, but we are called to be his representatives with the right motives at heart. So how are you doing? Are you representing God’s kingdom and righteousness in your daily life? Are they the dominating motive behind how you tackle your ToDo list during your day? Or are you more focused on doing a good job so that your earthly boss will give you a good review and possibly increase your compensation? Let’s look at one other example.

Solomon’s Example

2 Chronicles 1:7-12

7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him: “Ask. What should I give you?”

8 And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great faithful love to my father David, and You have made me king in his place. 9 LORD God, let Your promise to my father David now come true. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Now, grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

11 God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not requested riches, wealth, or glory, or for the life of those who hate you, and you have not even requested long life, but you have requested for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are given to you. I will also give you riches, wealth, and glory, such that it was not like this for the kings who were before you, nor will it be like this for those after you.” 13 So Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place that was in Gibeon in front of the tent of meeting, and he reigned over Israel.

Instead of seeking after his own personal well being or desires, Solomon’s focus was on what God had called him to do — to take care of the people of Jerusalem. Therefore, because his focus was on God’s people and his motives were right, God not only gave him the wisdom and knowledge to lead the people, but God gave him all the other blessings that he didn’t ask for also.

Let’s let Solomon’s example be an example for us also. Let’s make sure our daily focus is all about representing God’s kingdom and righteousness, while letting God worry about supplying our daily needs.