Too Great A Compliment?

I’ve been reading the Bible recently in a bit of a different way, mixing it up a little, as it were.  I’ve been using my Bible App to search a specific word or phrase and reading through all the related passages.  Most recently, I’ve been reading through references for the word “decide.”

The first passage that really caught my attention was Exodus 18.  This is the chapter that tells of Jethro’s visit to Moses, and his subsequent advice to Moses to appoint judges to serve under him and relieve him of some of his duties.  There is a lot of good stuff in this passage, but there was one thing that really jumped out at me.  Check out this quote from Matthew Henry’s commentary on Exodus 18:

“Necessary business must always take place of ceremonious attentions. It is too great a compliment to our friends to prefer the enjoyment of their company before our duty to God, which ought to be done, while yet the other is not left undone.” – Matthew Henry

Huh.  We are in a season right now of trying to squeeze in as many visits with friends, trips to favorite places, and meals at favorite restaurants as possible before our departure.  Sometimes, that becomes a very high priority.  And, there is certainly nothing wrong with that.

Bu in pondering this, thinking about Jethro’s visit to Moses (which, by the way, was made to return Moses’ family to him following their extended visit with Jethro), something really stood out to me.  Moses could have easily used the visit as justification for laying aside his work and staying home.  And he did, to a certain extent.  But as Matthew Henry so eloquently points out, he did not do so to the detriment of his duty to God.

In the most unexpected of chapters, then, I find this reminder to reevaluate, reconsider, and realign my priorities.  It’s time to once again make sure that the main things are the main things… 

I’m sure that will be the last time that we, as a missionary family, will have to do this prioritizing.

Or not.

How do you prioritize items on your list?  How do you keep your duties to God in the “top positions?”