Seeking First the Kingdom

As we heard in last Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus turns to us once we decide to follow him, and asks us, “What do you seek?” This question is one we should consider daily as it informs everything we do. Later in his ministry, evaluates how we go about seeking in his Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, Jesus challenges the instinct that shapes most of our daily decisions: worry-driven priority. 

We chase security, approval, comfort, and success as if they were the source of life itself. Jesus doesn’t deny that food, clothing, money, school, friendships, and the future matter—but he insists they make terrible masters. 

Jesus exposes how anxiety reveals what we truly worship. What we worry about most often reveals what we believe will save us. This teaching calls us to reorder our priorities to make sure seeking the kingdom is first. The Kingdom is not one priority among many; it becomes the lens through which all other priorities are judged. Jesus promises that when God is first, everything else finds its proper place. 

Worry asks, “What if I lose everything?” Jesus asks, “What if you gain the Kingdom?” All of this should bring us to focus on examining our priorities and asking how they are ordered and why.