Dear Small Church Pastor,
Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 both state, “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also”. It can also be said that you invest your time and your talents in those things that are important to you. In other words, you will put your time, skills and money into those areas of life that you consider important enough to require your focus and devotion. These areas can be referred to as your priorities.
I don’t watch much television, but I recently happened to see part of a football game that was televised from a large outdoor stadium. It was snowing and, based on the clothing people were wearing, quite cold. According to an article from the New York Times from September 5, 2025, the average cost of a ticket to attend such a game is $279.
The typical pro game lasts about 3 hours. That does not include driving time to and from the game or any side trips for meals or the famous tailgating parties. Attending the game would essentially take the better part of a day and would, all incidental expenditures considered, involve a hefty empty space in each attendee’s wallet.
Based on the money and time investments, I would venture to say that attending that game was a priority for the people sitting on those snow-covered bleachers.
Humor me and allow another example from a situation closer to home, so to speak. A young couple we know came to worship complaining about not having enough money to repair their malfunctioning HVAC unit. They talked about how their month seemed to always be more than their paychecks. I knew the husband had a very nice newer truck, and the wife had her own vehicle, both with payments. Then the wife said two statements that shed some light on their financial situation. She first commented that they were going to be short on finances the whole season and did not know where they would get the money to pay all their bills. Secondly, she revealed they would soon take a trip to a theme park that would cost them over $1,000 for a weekend stay at the park. She had unintentionally revealed their priorities.
Please do not misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with attending a sporting event or going to a theme park. I have participated in similar activities. However, I do understand we all will rationalize our “priorities” from time to time to make ourselves feel good about our expenditures of time, skills and money. I’ve done that, and I dare think you may have, too.
Here’s the rub with this priority topic—when we set our priorities, what do we use to establish a standard for setting those priorities? Where do we draw the line on using our talents? How much is too much to spend for something not already budgeted? What is “wasting time” as opposed to “using time wisely?”
Our priorities will determine the paths we take in life. When we realize this fact, we should determine if our priorities are lined up with God’s will for our lives. We must ask ourselves if our priorities demonstrate that we are living according to God’s call to minister to others for His kingdom’s sake. We must take a serious look at those things we consider to be most important and determine if they coincide with what God says should be most important.
Serious stuff, right? Absolutely! So, where do we turn to find out what God wants us to establish as our priorities? You know the answers—scriptures and prayer. But how often do we not go to those sources when we promote things in our lives into the position of being priorities? How often do we do what we want, instead of seeking God’s guidance on how important something should be in our lives?
Please do not take this letter as a personal condemnation. It is a challenge. Allow me to challenge you to sit down with whatever you use to take notes and begin to list where you spend your money, how you use your skills or talents and where you invest your time. These three indicators will show you what you consider a priority. Once you have done the identifying, then prayerfully go to scripture and seek God’s guidance on what you need to keep on the list and what you can reduce or eliminate from the list. Remember, your priorities will motivate you and influence what you do, where you expend your energies, and how you invest your resources. Just be sure your priorities agree with what God wants you to consider important.
Sincerely,
A Small Church Pastor