First Thing First
It’s not a vocation to which everyone is called but it is one whose attributes all Christ-imitating people are called to strive for.
This weekend we celebrate Mother’s Day, honoring the gift of prioritizing love found in the very essence of motherhood. I love the above definition of mother that offers examples of both being and doing. It does not necessarily require bearing and raising children, but it does require the kind of love that places oneself lower on the proverbial totem pole while supporting others above us. Practicing true Christian motherhood is great training for putting first things first.
This is a life lesson I still struggle with. In what ways am I called to deal with the hard and important values before tackling other things? Instead of frequently adjusting my priority order, I gravitate toward the bottom of the “to-do” list where the easy-to-accomplish tasks reside. How do I live my life with the principles I should value most in the forefront? I admit that I am all too easily distracted and buffeted by everyday forces. My learning curve for keeping first things first is a steep one.
Worst of all is when I lose sight of the most important first thing. I forget that I was put on this earth to live love. To strive every day to know God and love him. To hold in my heart the two great commandments: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, then love your neighbor as yourself.
A hard truth about living a life trying to imitate Christ's love is that my own desires will have to be reversed. This is what is required of all good mothers, all faithful people of God. Let’s lift up and inspire each other to keep the first thing first.
Blessings!