Why would Jesus want you to reprioritize?

“Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:29-30 MSG).

Jesus calls us to a level of intimacy that can only be sustained by his constant presence in our lives. He won’t allow us to pretend Christianity is an add-on philosophy to a life we’ve mapped out for ourselves.

Instead, we must see our relationship with Jesus like the man who finds hidden treasure in a field. He reprioritizes his whole life because nothing is as important as buying the field.

We must become like the shopkeeper who finds a rare pearl and realizes everything else he has is unimportant in comparison, so he never looks back to the things that once demanded his loyalty (Matthew 13:44-50). Where we have been loyal to many things, now we must be loyal to one thing: the person, Jesus Christ.

When you see things through the eyes of Jesus, you see that nothing apart from Jesus is relevant or practical. And that changes everything about the way you live.

This means that cranky spouse becomes an eternal being you must love and respect. It means you will see the neighbors or the co-workers who have that unique ability to push your buttons as people who matter to Jesus, so now they all must matter to you.

They are, in a sense, the voice of Jesus calling you to become more like him. He calls you to an intimacy: “Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:29-30 MSG).

OK, I know it won’t be easy. But when someone irritates you today, consider it an opportunity to learn to love like Jesus loves.

• Who do you need to see through Jesus’ eyes today so that you can love him or her as Christ loves you?

• What steps do you need to take to reprioritize your life so that it reflects a total commitment to Jesus Christ?

Jon Walker is managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Hope Devotionals and the author of Breakfast with Bonhoeffer. This devotional © Copyright 2013 Jon Walker. All rights reserved. Used by permission.