Priorities: Faces Or Facts?
After these things, I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
'Salvation to our God Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.' And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,
'Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.'
Revelation 7:9-12 (NASB)
During His Life and ministry on Earth, Jesus encountered both faces and facts.
Consider these faces: 5,000 hungry men (plus families).
Consider these facts: Following His cousin's brutal murder, Jesus came out of solitude to see the enormous crowd that had followed Him. 'He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick' (Matthew 14:14). But… when evening came, the people were hungry and had no food.
His response? Time and again, He focused on faces… and forgot the facts.
Why? Time and again, God changes impossible “facts” through faith!
The result? Time and again. Insufficiency becomes abundance.*
Our response?
In our own day-to-day priorities,
As we face facts and tough circumstances,
As we see faces and people in need,
We must look through the Eyes of our Leader.
We must act in uncommon faithfulness.
We must love in fact-denying kindness.
Why? People are FAR MORE IMPORTANT than facts.
What about the fact of financial need? When we can barely cover our own bills, and God puts a stranger (or a pastor)–asking for help directly in front of us…
The bank account says, 'Keep what you've got.'
But the Bible says, 'Give, and it will be given to you... good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return' (Luke 6:38).
Please note: Choices become priorities, which build and shape lives–for better or worse.
Mandatory note: God will NEVER be a 'second-place' God.
His Word won’t yield to what the world calls ‘facts’.
However, the world WILL yield to His Word!
As in 'God will supply all [our] needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:19).
He remains ready, willing, and able 'To do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us' (Ephesians 3:20).
What’s hard for me (and you?) to remember: Faces are His priority–not facts.
Priorities: Faces Or Facts (Part 1)
* Matthew 14:13-21: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2014:13-21&version=NKJV
NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.