Married To Your Ministry?Sample

There were two things Jesus chose to prioritize: The mission God gave him and the people immediately around Him. Even when we have a clear sense of our mission, it’s easy to either miss people or just become a slave to anyone around us. To mitigate both of these extremes, we have to look at the example of Jesus.

In today’s reading, focus on how Jesus interacts with specific people. You’ll notice that two different times, Jesus puts aside what He’s currently doing to be with people and heal them, first with the man and his daughter and second with the woman who had bled for much of her life. There are a couple of key things to notice for both of these encounters:

1. He was willing to drop what He was doing to tend to immediate needs that would cost these people their lives. If someone is in danger, and we can do something that will provide immediate relief or eternal hope, we need to be willing to make time. This cannot be a constant state for us; Jesus wasn’t constantly around people either. We need to get away and rest in daily and weekly rhythms, uninterrupted. 
2. He always pointed them to God. Jesus always invested His time, not for his own glorification but for people to see God at work in and around them. Check your heart. When you are with people, is it about how they will see you or how they will see God? Be careful taking any appointment that would elevate yourself.

When you look at your tasks and priorities, ask for God’s perspective. Consider how He is calling you to invest time in your spouse, children, parents, or other family members. Next, ask for His eyes to see the people in your ministry. Rather than simply reacting, you’ll find yourself beginning to respond to individual situations in light of your mission—just like Jesus did.