“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

It’s difficult if not impossible to find something if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.

As we move into the third week of Truth That Cuts Through the Noise, we’re looking at the particular kind of noise that is generated by FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out. FOMO: There is something really good “out there,” but only those in the know are enjoying it. People like you are missing out: you could be healthier, if only you knew about this supplement or life hack. You could increase your longevity, make more money, save more money, have more friends, eat at the best restaurants, drive the most reliable car, know what’s going to be in style next month, and be up to date with the hot movies and happening music – if only you knew where and how to find the critical information.

Might jealousy and envy be FOMO-accelerators?

Fake good news: influencers, podcasts, advertisers, giant corporations, and now and at last, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE promise to make you smarter, more tuned in, more toned, and a true insider, rather than one of those schlubs who are all Missing Out.

Real Good News: Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, Jesus says.  

But how do we know what to look for? What are the signs of or pointers to the presence and activity of God’s kingdom and righteousness?

Let’s not relegate God’s kingdom solely to the future, either after we die or at Christ’s Return.  God’s kingdom is present and at work here and now; not yet in all its fullness, but available and at work.

God’s kingdom is everywhere the rule of King Jesus is embraced and put into practice, everywhere there is a small, imperfect but real demonstration of what life is like when “the Lord reigns!”

The kingdom is everywhere where what matters to God is being put into practice. Do clothes and houses matter to God? Sure, to some extent. Then again, not all that much: yes, we need them, and no, they do not need to be the latest, best, flashiest, or even what pleases us the most! There are things that matter to God more than what pleases me.

Human beings matter to God, especially all those human beings who don’t matter to anyone else.  Genuine worship matters to God, not because God is an insecure egoist but because we humans constantly need to be realigning ourselves with what truly matters. Justice matters to God. Flourishing for everyone matters to God. Pregnant mothers matter to God, children matter to God, as do the poor, and all those humans at the bottom or on the outside.

Almost nothing on our FOMO lists matters all that much to God. Honestly, the one and only thing that would really and truly be a tragedy would be to miss out on the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.  Seek that, Jesus says, first, last, and all the time, and everything else will fall into place – its proper place.

Miss out on God’s kingdom and righteousness, and we’ve kind of missed out on everything that really matters --

To God.

Jesus, I’m not always very good at discerning the indicators of the presence and activity of your Kingdom. I’m like a car whose steering is misaligned! I try to point in one direction, but too often head in a totally different one! I ask that this week’s passage could retune, recalibrate, and realign me, heart, mind, and life. Let your kingdom come and your righteousness be done, in and through me. Please begin doing that today, and don’t ever stop!