How does discipleship impact priorities?

from the old testament

• The basis for discipleship is in God's command to His people in Mosaic Law: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
• All disciples will face the choice that Joshua laid out to Israel: God above all else (Joshua 24:15).

from the new testament

• Disciples chose Christ over personal comfort: Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
• Such denial means that Christians don't allow what the world sees as important to take precedence in their lives. Paul tells the Romans, "Do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2), and James writes that "whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4). Beyond even worldly pursuits (e.g., money, fame, etc.), true disciples do not put anything above Christ (Matthew 10:37-39; Luke 9:60).
• Disciples of Christ will do as Christ said and "seek first the kingdom of God," trusting God to take care of our needs (Matthew 6:33, 6:25-32).
• Paul was an exemplary disciple of Christ. After recounting his achievements in the Jewish community, Paul wrote, "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8). Christ is worth much more that what the world offers.
• A true disciple wants others to know the Master. Disciples prioritize making other disciples, as Christ commanded (Matthew 28:19-20; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20).
• Disciples show love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

implications for today

Every day, we make hundreds of choices about what deserves our time, energy, attention, and affection. Most of these choices seem small, but together they reveal what we truly value. Discipleship is not just about believing the right things about Jesus—it is about arranging our entire lives around following Him.

It is easy to say that Christ is our priority while allowing other things to subtly take first place: career success, relationships, comfort, entertainment, social media, finances, or personal goals. None of these things are automatically wrong, but they become harmful when they compete with our devotion to Christ. Jesus does not ask to be added to our already busy lives; He calls us to follow Him and allow Him to reorder everything else.

Prioritizing Christ begins with the decisions no one else sees. It looks like choosing time with God when it would be easier to scroll your phone, choosing obedience when compromise would be more convenient, choosing community when isolation feels easier, and choosing to love and serve others when it costs you something.

Discipleship also means recognizing that following Jesus is never meant to be a solo journey. As we grow closer to Christ, we should help others grow closer to Him too. Whether through intentional conversations, encouragement, serving, or sharing the gospel, making disciples is not an optional extra for a few passionate Christians—it is part of what it means to follow Jesus. When Christ becomes our greatest treasure, everything else finds its proper place.