Matthew 16:26 NKJV
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Wrong priorities lead to a lack of concern about spiritual things. In the dream, the parent wanted worldly prestige for their child. Because this was more important than godliness, the parent had a lack of concern about the spiritual effect on their child. Many children who have lost their relationship with God were aided in their backsliding by the parents making bad decisions for them. Some parents have helped their children make bad decisions because the parents did not value spiritual things more than they did natural things. How can a parent be happy about their child achieving high status in the world at the expense of losing their soul. Some children who lost their relationship with God in college, never should have gone in the first place. Their downfall was financed by their parent/s.
Adults make decisions about material things, jobs, careers, relationships and even marriage for reasons of pride, prestige or earthly gains at the expense of their relationship with the Lord. Their wrong priorities caused them to lose concern about spiritual things when making decisions. The results can be anywhere from disappointing to tragic. Jesus did His part to help us understand how we must always put spiritual things above natural things. As He said more than once, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"