The Jar of Life

I love this illustration. It describes our lives in such a simplified way. The jar represents your life, and the golf balls are the most important things. The stones are all the other important things. The sand is everything else, the small stuff we deal with on a daily basis. If you put the golf balls in first, then the sand and stone fill in around them, but if you put the sand and stone in first (the less important things) then there is no room for the golf balls. The cup of coffee reminds us that no matter how full our life is, always leave time for a cup of coffee with a friend.

So the principle of the jar of life is simple: Focus on the important things of life and the small ones will take care of themselves.

Jesus tell us clearly what those important things of life are those that go into jar- the golf balls.

Matthew 6:31–34 (NLT)

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Here’s the important things of life: (The golf balls)

1. “Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else….”
2. “and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” (pebbles and sand)
3. Finally, take care of today’s troubles for tomorrow will bring new ones.

If you establish the first two as your top priorities in life, then you will be given all you need to take care of the troubles you will face. That’s what Scripture promises! When we reverse the order and fill our jar full of the details of life, we leave little room for the Kingdom of God, and the less important things “dominate our thoughts.”

So, how do we seek first the Kingdom and live righteously? 

1. Read the Scriptures to get to know the King and His Kingdom. He will then teach you how to live righteously.
2. Live with an eternal view of life.

• 2 Corinthians 4:17 ¹⁸ So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and

3. Leave time for a cup of coffee with someone.

• I would say notice who is in front of you, beside you and around you! Consider that everyone you meet is an eternal being with eternity in their heart having an eternal destiny. Scripture is clear that destiny is either eternal life or the “second death,” the lake of fire.
• Revelation 20:14–15 (NIV84) ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Love and blessings,

Pastor Pat

P.S. This Sunday we are under the tent. Pastor Santhosh from India will be with us. After the service Christen and her team will be serving Sahlen’s hot-dogs! I’m providing the chili sauce imported from West Virginia and sauerkraut from a jar! That’s the only way to eat a hot dog!  Make sure you’re there.  Take time to eat a hot-dog with someone you don’t know.