There are many things a person needs to live: food, water, shelter and such. Most people spend the biggest part of their lives trying to provide these things for themselves and their families.

There is nothing wrong with working to have such things as long as doing so does not become one’s only goal. Everyone needs to realize that there are other things that one should be concerned about, eternal things that have to do with providing what is needed to spend eternity in heaven.

A person has to understand the need for spiritual things in their life. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). Those who only think about and work for the physical things of life are often disappointed because those things can disappear.

The one who trusts in God and lives to live for God knows that even if the earthly things are taken away, God is still there. He is a constant. Putting one’s trust in God is the first step in getting priorities straight.

If a person understands the need for spiritual things, they know God must be a part of their life. They are willing to look into the word of God and find out what it is that God wants them to do. They find out about Jesus the Son of God who willingly gave himself for them.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Rom. 5:6-11).

When a person reads of the cruelty that our Lord suffered, it is almost beyond belief that one could love another that much, but he did. Faith is produced in the individual by coming to know God through his word. That faith continues to grow as the individual grows spiritually.

Such love displayed by God and by Jesus shows the need for man to have love in his life – love that is willing to give back as shown by Paul as he wrote to those at Rome.

He said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Rom. 1:14-15).

If a person has love to give back, then they will willingly obey God and become his child. Then they will have the love, the desire to carry the saving message to others.

Again looking to Paul, one can see how he had a great love for his fellow countrymen. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:1, 2).

When one realizes that they are surrounded by family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and others who have not learned of the love Christ had for them, they must show them the way. If one has the love shown by Paul, they will take advantage of the opportunities that come their way to tell them about the gospel.

Putting eternal things at the top of one’s priority list is a must.