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Are You More Like Martha or Mary?

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, Luke 10:41 NIV

I’m confident that wasn’t the response Martha was looking for. Didn’t Jesus care that Mary refused to cut the pies or set the table? Couldn’t He see that Martha had so much to do if they were still going to eat by noon? Shouldn’t Jesus have told Mary to get up and get busy?

There was work to be done. If Jesus was going to get His fill of fried chicken, someone had to fry it! Martha was tasked with everything. The Lord was coming to dinner. Didn’t He deserve the best? Poor Martha! Left to do it all!

Do you ever feel like that?

Mary was just ‘hanging out’ with Jesus! Sitting at His feet, listening to His teaching, she had forgotten all about making the iced tea. She was busy, too!

Was Jesus saying that we shouldn’t prepare for our family and friends? Was He saying that we shouldn’t have a complete meal, because we need to invest all our time into meditating on His word? Is He asking Martha not to finish rolling out the biscuits?

Of course not! I’m quite sure Jesus would soon join Martha in the kitchen. He quite possibly might even have whipped up some mashed potatoes and gravy a little later. What Jesus was trying to tell Martha was to slow down and to set her priorities. Maybe they didn’t need to have three choices of vegetables that day, because Jesus was in the house.

If you and I are to mature as followers of God, we must give Jesus the time He deserves. I’m the classic Martha type. If there’s work to be done…I’ll do it. In the process, I’ve often missed some of the best opportunities for time with my Savior.

Are you like me at times?

Has your life become so crowded that you have forsaken your time with Jesus? Maybe you are worried and upset about too many things.

Take a break at the foot of Jesus. Let something go for a minute…even good things…so you can choose what is most important…choose Jesus!

Just curious…are you more like Martha or Mary most days?

Be honest!