Above All Else

In a month of insanity and/or adventure while in South Africa, my sister jumped out of a flying airplane and swam in a cage while great white sharks fed around her. Between the two experiences, she told me, she cannot wait to sky-dive again, but she will never step into a another shark cage.

I have never done either. However, it is experiences like these I would imagine one fully understands “above all else”. As the plane circles around the drop spot, I picture my sister trembling as she looks out over the edge at the clouds below. Above all else, remember your parachute. Or as she stepped into the shark cage as dorsal fins broke through the ocean surface. Men in the boat tossed bits of red meat dripping with blood into the water as the cage locked shut. Above all else, do not reach my hand out of the cage.

“Above all else” promises serious rewards and warns of severe consequences.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. I like the way The Message states it, Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.

Do any of us practice heart and soul maintenance with the same intensity of a sky-diver as she straps on her parachute?

“Above” speaks of relentless pursuit and ruthless diligence. It stresses the utmost priority. This is more than new year’s resolutions. It is not a causal warning; it speaks of life or death.

“All else” reflects a competition for our heart’s attention. To be honest, too often I spend more energy making sure my phone is charged than creating space to care for my heart. The list of the “all else’s” in our life is unending, including distractions, soul destructive choices, and good, good things.

A life worth living flows from the heart, and this wisdom is the first thing lost when we do not tend to the needs of our heart. We had better pay attention, above all else.