Fear and insecurity are the things that tend to keep us chasing after the urgent and neglecting that which is important. It is the fear of not measuring up, the fear of disappointing someone or letting someone down, the insecurity that we’re not as productive, or successful as someone else. All of these things keep us working longer hours, enrolling our children in more sports or activities, and chasing after the elusive feeling that we have finally gotten ahead of the curve. Jesus steps into all of that and says, “Peace. Be still.” He says listen, your Father, who just so happens to be the King of the Universe and can do whatever He pleases, loves you more than you can imagine. He loves you more than anything else in all of creation, and yet the rest of creation keeps on thriving and surviving. How much more will He provide for you all that you have need of. So stop stressing about what other people may think about you or how big your house is, or how many hours you feel you need to spend striving for more, because your Father will take of you. And when you stop stressing and focusing on all of that peripheral stuff then you can start focusing on what is actually important…God’s Kingdom. Which is to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus is telling us that when we can rest in God’s provision then we will margin in our lives and the ability to seek after and respond to that which God desires for us to do. We can spend more time in deep and meaningful relationships with others rather than running on the hamster wheel of consumerism and cultural expectations.

When something is urgent it means it is immediate, it is pressing. It is something that must be dealt with and addressed now. It is an issue that is right in front of your face. It is the proverbial tree that keeps you from seeing the forest. Something that is important is that which matters more than other things. Important means it takes priority, it is something that needs to get done. Something that is urgent may not necessarily be important, and something important may not necessarily be important. Sometimes it can be both, but typically if we can keep our eyes on what is important then we will find ourselves dealing less and less with things that are urgent. You see urgency tends to result from lack of planning or lack of focus. Things sneak up on you. But, if you can stay focused on what out to be prioritized then things are less likely to sneak up on you and you can schedule and react in a timely fashion rather than constantly feeling like you are in crisis mode.

The Biblical concept of love is to make a sacrificial commitment for the wellbeing without expecting anything in return. To love our neighbors is to seek their wellbeing even if it makes us uncomfortable, or if it costs us something. It is to believe the best about our neighbors, to extend hospitality to them, to seek out relationship and opportunities to serve them. It means we put away our personal agendas and cultural bias, meet people where they are and love them there first.

If fear and insecurity are the motivators behind living a life of urgency then the Gospel frees us from that because the Gospel tells us that we are both safe and secure, loved and accepted, because of what Jesus has done, not because of anything we can do. And when you realize the King of the Universe, the most important Being in the cosmos, has told you that you are loved and valued then the opinions and perceptions of others tend to fall to the wayside. The love of Christ frees us from feeling the pressure to chase after success or reputation and allows us to be who God designed us to be…vessels through which His glory and His Kingdom can come to earth as it is in heaven.

Go around the room and share how many of the names you knew? Did you have any epiphanies as you did this exercise? What did you learn or feel as a result of doing this exercise? Most people naturally feel a little guilty when they realize how little they know about their neighbors. Allow people to feel what they feel, but this is definitely NOT the time to try to make people feel guilty or that they are not doing enough. Allow God to work on people in HIS timing. As a host you might feel like you should know more of your neighbors since you are a host. Avoid that temptation. We are all on this journey together and we all have room to grow. Let people see you are real and honest and that you don’t have it all figured out either. Your group will trust you more for your honesty! Write the names of your neighbors by listing out the names of the adults and children of the 8 closest houses or apartment units next to you. Pay attention to the blank spaces Take a second and identify each of the neighbors and decide if they are a stranger, acquaintance, or relationship.