“‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare…’” (Jeremiah 29:4-7 ESV)

Do you like to-do lists? I do! Well, sometimes… It is incredible to cross items off the list, but that means that I have to have actually completed that task (which isn’t always fun). Sometimes, it’s hard to remember even to make the to-do list. That always ends up in me forgetting to do something and rushing to complete it amidst my busy, occasionally chaotic life. Surely I’m not the only one who does this… am I?

I think to-do lists are more important than we may immediately realize they are. God actually gives the exiles a to-do list, so that they can thrive and ultimately help reduce some of the chaos in their lives. 

Here is the exile’s God-given to-do list:

• Build houses and live in them (vs. 5)
• Plant gardens and eat their produce (vs. 5)
• Take wives and have sons and daughters (vs. 6)
• Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage (vs. 6)
• Multiply there and do not decrease (vs. 6) 
• Seek the welfare of the city you live in (vs. 7)
• Pray to the Lord for welfare (vs. 7)

Now we do have to be careful with this to-do list and realize that this isn’t a list that can be completed in a day. Rather, it is a life-long (maybe even multiple generations long) to-do list. But this to-do list brings wisdom to the exiles as they look at taking the next steps in their strange, new, and chaotic lives. 

To-do lists can be intimidating to many of us. But they aren’t supposed to be. Instead, they are tools for us to be more organized, and ultimately wiser as we go through our busy and chaotic daily lives. Something as simple as a household cleaning to-do list is one of the first steps you can take to become a little bit wiser. The to-do lists may eventually grow larger or more important, and that is a good thing, as they will help you grow wiser in how to organize your busy life.

What to-do list can you start today that can help you in your next steps to becoming wise?