Ninety years ago fishermen placed goats on Navy-owned San Clemente Island off the coast at San Diego. They wanted to maintain a ready supply of fresh meat. The goats consumed everything in sight and threatened three endangered species sharing the island with them. In 1976, the Navy hired private contractors to remove seventeen thousand goats.

One thousand of the goats defied all efforts at capture and removal. In three years this herd had increased to thirty-five hundred, was doubling every eighteen months, and posed an environmental threat to the island. Experts advised the Navy to shoot the animals from helicopters.

An organization called GOAT (Give Our Animals Time) formed to prevent the Navy from harming a single animal. One observer, feeling that the members of GOAT had become involved in a secondary campaign, said, “The goat people would be better off spending their time saving boat people” (a reference to people from deprived countries who try to escape hardship by putting out to sea in inadequate vessels and who often perish in the attempt).

It is easy to lose perspective in doing life’s work. We can get involved in doing good things instead of the very best things. We can maintain a routine just because we like following routines. We can let second-rate goals consume most of our energy. We can put our own ease and security ahead of venture for the sake of Christ. We can let the business of living, doing the necessary chores of life, and making a reputation for ourselves become our goals. We must put “first things first” and make our chief business that of following Jesus and doing his will.