Choose the Better

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

This text is so rich and relative to my life. As a wife and mother, I tend to wake up and chase the day,  serving and keeping the house running – as I see fit anyway. Laundry, dishes, sweeping, vacuuming, gardening, bills, take the garbage out.. oh I gotta go to the grocery store. It’s 5 already? I haven’t started dinner yet! You name it, it’s gotta get done! You know what I mean? Our tasks mount up and seem insurmountable and time runs away from us. At the end of the day we end up thinking – “There’s not enough hours in the day!”

Martha was “distracted with much serving”. I can totally relate to this Martha lady. But what this tells me is that the things she was doing weren’t inherently evil, they just weren’t what God wanted her to do. She was anxiously raking her brain for how she was going to serve the Most High God staying in her home. (What a privilege!) Yet instead of enjoying His presence with joy, she murmured under her breath complaints because she was choosing to slave under the task master of self.

You and I both know that things need to get done around the house otherwise it’s going to look like a dump truck came through. I can spend an entire day cleaning to make the house spotless and it doesn’t take long for the dishes, laundry and garbage to pile up all over again. (First world problems. Praise God we have food, clothes and stuff to throw in that trash can!)

Sister, we must come to the conclusion that we cannot satisfy this nagging perfectionist of getting everything done today – we will run ourselves into the ground that way, and then we can’t serve Jesus by our families or anyone else at least not without grumbling under our breaths or showing our short temper. Seeking Jesus first, letting Him direct our day and doing the simple necessities are what’s needed.

Serving your family, doing housework and daily chores are all good things and a blessing. What if we stop, before our day begins and sit at the feet of Him Who holds our very breath? God’s Word says to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and the rest would be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) Girl, that’s a promise! Instead of desiring to have 8 arms to accomplish all the tasks you want to accomplish, let the Author of life lead you into the things that truly need to be done. God must be the Director of your day.

I wonder what would have happened if Martha chose to sit before Christ? I bet she would have had a song in her heart as she scrubbed the dishes. She would have had a smile as she poured a round of water for her visitors. Dinner would have been a labor of love. Bed making would have been laughing and a two-step dance. And by the time she laid down to sleep she would have restfully said in her heart, “Thank you, God, for just enough hours in the day… no more, no less.” 

Martha is serving Jesus: that’s a good thing. Mary is sitting at His feet, listening to Him: the better thing. Let’s be like Mary; let’s choose the better rather than being captive to the lesser.