First Things First

Gen 13:1-4 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

The first thing Abram did when he left Ur of the Chaldees was to stop and build an altar to worship the One God. It set the stage for the rest of his life. Honor God first, then live out your life. First things first.

There is a special significance to the first of everything with a new baby.

• First tooth, first time to roll over, first step, first word, first haircut, first birthday.
• First day of school, first report card, first fight, first girlfriend or boyfriend.
• It won’t be long until it’s…first date, first car, first ticket, first accident!

Why are first things so important?

• Significant to the baby’s personal history.
• Confirms that the child is making normal progress.
• Gives some moms and dads bragging rights (my kid started walking before yours)
• Signifies a new stage into which the child is now entering.

At no time is the parent’s role more critical than when a child is going through its firsts.

How can the baby say the right words if no one is there to teach him?  How can the baby walk unless he can curl his little fingers around yours to stabilize him?  And once the baby learns how to talk and how to walk, the next critical thing to learn is what to say and where to go!  We don’t just let them say anything.  We don’t just let them wander anywhere.  All of their firsts require a mother or father to be with them, to lead them, to show them the way.

Readers of the Bible know that God was extremely interested in firsts.

Creation: Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Deliverance from Egypt: Ex 12:1-2 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Firstruits of the labor: Ex 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.

Ezek 44:30 And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest’s: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.

This is a spiritual principle.

When we look around at the chaos of human tragedy, the war zone of modern family life, we see that too many people put themselves first; put the wrong things first; either neglected or didn’t care about doing the right things first.

Yesterday, I spoke to the men at the Ohio District Men’s Retreat about what happens when fathers sin. Just so they knew what I was talking about, I listed the following transgressions and wrongs:

• Tobacco, drugs, alcohol; Criminal behavior.
• Cursing and profanity; Pornography, off-color jokes and talk.
• Adultery and fornication; Sexual, physical, emotional abuse.
• Sexual perversion; Neglect, absenteeism.
• Rebellion, toxic attitudes; Lying, cheating, dishonesty.
• Manipulation and deceit; Back-biting, disloyalty.
• Laziness, irresponsibility; Failure to work.
• Failure to be the spiritual leader.

There are things parents must do first to be in the perfect will of God.

Today, you need to determine in your heart and mind that you will start out right.  (Today is the first day of the rest of your parenting life…)

Get your heart right with the people in your life.  Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Don’t live with tension-filled homes; screaming, fighting, arguing, throwing things, slamming doors, throwing tantrums.

Bring your own spirit and life under control and submission to God.  Matthew 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Establish now that you will put a priority on spiritual things.  Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Every Orthodox Jewish baby is taught something first.

When the first sign appears that they have the ability for a cognitive thought, they are taught the Shema.  Shema Israel, Adonai Elohanu, Adonai Echaad.  Hear, O Israel, The Lord, our God is One.  This is first.

What about you? What about your baby?

• In this house, God is first.
• In this house, we pray before we eat.
• In this house, we go to church.
• In this house, we honor the Word of God.
• In this house, we uphold righteous living.
• In this house, we show love to each other.
• In this house, we resolve all our differences without fighting and screaming.
• In this house, we respect our elders.
• In this house, have appreciation and thanksgiving for God’s blessings.
• In this house, we put first things first.

Why? Because God is first. He reserves this title for himself:

Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.