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Glass Vase of Priorities

This story and questions are copied from a devotional in the Disciples Path series.

According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of priority is "something requiring or meriting attention prior to competing alternatives."  A priority is something that is most important.  It's something that takes first place and is of greater value than anything else.  When you look at the life of Jesus you will recognize that God's Word, prayer, obedience, love, and investing in others were the priorities of His life.  Are these things your priorities?

A man was once given a glass vase, a bowl of pebbles, and a sack or large stones.  He was told to put all the rocks into the glass vase.  He started by filling the glass with the pebbles, but there was no room left for the stones.  So he removed the pebbles, placed the large rocks in first, and then filled the gaps with the pebbles until they were all in the glass.  The vase represents our lives and the capacity of time we have in a given day.  We have many "pebbles" that fill up our days: emails, deadlines, errands, favorite TV shows, or sporting events.  If we aren't careful, our time can be filled with pebbles, and the big rocks are crowded out.  But if we put the large stones in first - God's Word and prayer, love and obedience, investing in others - then the pebbles fill the gaps and the big things in life won't get squeezed out.

Which "small pebble" priorities are getting in the way of your "large stone" priorities?

What do you consider the "large stone" priorities in your life?

What changes need to happen to make room for the "large stones" in your daily routine?

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