We live in a goal-centered culture. There is a certain amount of thrill in achieving the goals we set for ourselves. Motivational speakers tell us that if we don’t have goals, we will end up in places we didn’t intend to go. Achieving our goals doesn’t always bring us more than momentary joy or success. Most of us have a history of weight loss and gain as proof!

Goals might lead us to the world’s path of success; God’s goals will lead us to a path of blessing. Which goals will be the most “satisfying” to our lives? Those are the goals we should most want to attain.

Jesus told his disciples which goal to aim for in his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught that we are to “hunger and thirst for righteousness” if we want to be satisfied with our lives. Righteousness means being right with God, living with the choices that find favor with him. The desire to be right with God should be a hunger and thirst in our lives.

When we consider those words with a first-century perspective, they take on new meaning. If we are hungry, we eat. If we are thirsty, we find something to drink. In the first century, everyone understood what it was like to be desperate for something to eat or drink. Hospitality wasn’t just a kindness in that culture; it was the choice to meet the serious needs of another person. 

Travel was mostly on foot and planning for the entire trip was difficult. Thieves could steal food and water. Accidents could strand travelers, leaving them with no shelter. Hunger and thirst could occur daily because of drought and famine. Consider the words of Christ with those thoughts in mind.

Jesus taught his disciples to value their relationship with God as much as they valued the security of that next drink of water or meal. Jesus taught us to desire a right relationship with God as a basic, daily need. The next time you are truly hungry or thirsty, remember what Jesus taught about your relationship to God.

Living with wisdom is a path to God’s blessings. Our greatest blessings come from our right relationship to God. Are you satisfied, or do you need to wisely set a new goal? God’s greatest blessings flow from our desire to be right with him.