How Do We Put God First?

Some of the leaders in the company I work with are fond of saying, "God first, family second, work third." This would make us think God was in competition with our family and our work for our affection. . . . [T]he only way to put God first is to serve those whom God loves. . . . When Peter professed to Jesus that he loved him, Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." To be sure he got it, he said it three times. ~Randy Williams

The last few days I thought I had a big problem, which was stressing me out. Then I began to follow the alarming news from places like Indonesia and India where we'd lived. My individual problem was washed away as I considered our planet's problems. What does it mean to "feed God's sheep" right now with the more than 100,000 killed by crashing waves in the last few days and so many more directly affected, the carnage of warring, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the looming implications of global warming? To at least find a personal and local way to give to the growing efforts to relieve such suffering, to petition our associations and governments to take really appropriate action, to compassionately pray for our wounded planet daily as we give thanks for its bounty, and to continue to build and implement our three-point plans to feed creation's "sheep." ~jpc