When Jesus said we should seek first God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33), he was simply asking us to imitate him.

Earlier, he was confronted by Satan and forced to choose between satisfying his own interest and pursuing God’s will (Matthew 4:1-11). This was a test exactly along the same line as Adam and Eve had faced in Genesis 3. Jesus, however, triumphed because he consistently made God’s will (his kingdom) paramount. In matters of bodily appetite, personal fame and significance, and material wealth, Christ submitted to God’s will. And he calls us to do likewise.