Most of us struggle to get our priorities straight. We may nod in agreement at the adage, "No one on their deathbed ever said, 'I wish I’d spent more time at the office,' " but we still spend too much time there, stay too busy, and ignore things that really matter.
The prophet Haggai chastises those who have returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon for their disordered priorities. They have become so preoccupied with the day to day struggles of life, that they have completely forgotten about rebuilding the Temple. The prophet insists that their lives are not going well precisely because of their disordered priorities.
What about our priorities. Church stewardship campaigns often seem like little more than annual fundraisers. But perhaps they are great occasions to examine our own priorities, perhaps even to get them straightened out a little.