I was probably about 8 the Sunday my mother did an object lesson in our Sunday School class that I have never forgotten. She had a large pickle jar, and a bag of rocks. The rocks ranged in size from some large ones about the size of your fist, to some very small pebbles. Mom explained to our class that the jar was our life, and the rocks were all the "things" we were trying to fit into our life. The big rocks were the big "important" things, and the pebbles were the small things that weren't so important, but they were still nice to have. As she talked, she began putting the small stones and pebbles in the jar. The super cute pair of shoes we don't need but want, money for a pumpkin spice chai latte this week, and the time to learn that new hairstyle we have been wanting to try. When she had added all of the smallest stones, she moved on to the medium rocks. Some special friendships, having a reliable car (sorry...I'm an adult...I can no longer remember the kid-aged examples she used! :D ), and working overtime for some extra spending money. She continued listing and adding pebble and stones, as the stones she added to the jar got bigger. Then she began getting to the largest of the stones...family, a job to pay the bills, and God. But alas! The jar was full...and God and the family didn't fit!
Mom then dumped all the rocks back out of the jar. She took the biggest rock - God - and put it in first. She explained that we needed to make sure that we made time for Church, prayer, and reading our Bible the very first priority. Then she put the next largest rock in - family, followed by a job...and she continued on down, adding the rocks in order from largest to smallest. Amazingly, when she got to the end, even the tiniest pebble fit in the jar!
When you make the most important things in your life the highest priority, all the little things will also fit, by slipping in and filling in the little cracks and spaces. But if you try to put the little stuff in first, you will run out of time, money, and energy for the things that are really important to you. Almost thirty years later, when I find that things aren't fitting into my life the way I want them to, I remember that object lesson and I start looking at which "rocks" I am adding first. Inevitably, I'm putting them in wrong.
The Bible tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto us...add your rocks in the right order.
