Be A Mary

Do you worry about many things? Do you strive to ensure everything is just so? Are you continually trying to please everyone? Do you often feel as though you have no help? Are you distracted by doing rather than being?

We are often distracted by doing. We listen to others, whether friends, family, or media and think we must do what is popular. Our lives are filled with lists of tasks. That’s not to say that all tasks should be ignored. It is to say that we often put unimportant tasks on our plates.

So, what is important? I venture to say most of us can list what is truly important, if we will simply slow down long enough to think about it. We will say that our relationship with God is important. We will say that spending eternity with Him is important. But we also likely throw in a “but” after we say that.

That single word tells the listener there is an exception to the importance. It says there are other things we feel as though we must attend to first. It says we have put those other tasks ahead of what we deem truly important and we have our own reasoning for doing so. This is what is meant by the saying, “Living like Martha.”

Don’t misunderstand. I know there are things we need to do in this life in order to live it. Yet, we often put far more tasks higher on our priority list than our relationship with God. Think not? Watching a television show is often a higher priority than reading our Bible. Eating is often more important than taking a minute to pray beforehand. Buying something we want is more important than contributing to the church.

We are being Martha’s rather than Mary’s. Who is Mary? She recognized who Jesus was and spent time at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching and worshiping Him. Mary knew her relationship with Jesus was more important than dinner being served at a specific time. She had set her priority on Jesus.

Now, I don’t believe that God wants us to totally abandon the tasks on our list. I do believe He wants us to spend time with Him each day, growing closer to Him, and becoming more like His Son. God knows us. He knows when we make lame excuses for not spending time with Him. He knows when He is a priority to us and when He is discarded. Notice, Jesus says that Mary chose what was better and it would never be taken from her.

I pray we all spend time with God each day. I pray we grow closer to Him. I pray each one of us read God’s Word and pray each day of our lives, making Him our priority. Read your Bible. Spend time in prayer. Sing praises to God. Choose what is truly important. Experience the abundant life. Be a Mary.

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”