Are you a Mary or a Martha?

Luke 10

Between Mary and Martha and the parable of the Good Samaritan we have a couple of very familiar texts today.  I’m going to focus on Mary and Martha.  So which one are you?  I tend to be more of a Martha.  I like to do.  I like to organize.  As a pastor I feel very fulfilled when we get a new ministry up and running.  I’m not always the best at sitting around and philosophizing about why we do what we do, and coming up with mission statements and vision statements and that sort of thing.  I already know the title of my first book should I ever get around to writing it.  I’m going to call it “Shut-up and Serve!”  Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh, but you get the idea. 

There’s nothing all that wrong with how I’m wired, but it does come with its drawbacks.  A trendy phrase I hear lately is “being present” with people.  I’m not always the best at that.  I get easily distracted, and I end up not giving someone my full attention.  It’s probably because I’m thinking about something I need to get to or do.  In our story today I can totally see myself in Martha’s shoes.  In my many years as a Youth Pastor I think I spent too much time focusing on running a program, setting up before hand, cleaning up afterwards, and making sure everything is running smoothly, and I would forget what was most important; just simply being with the kids and connecting with them.  I would often have to tell myself “Pete, you need to leave that mess for one of your volunteers, and go check in with that kid.”

By the way, there are some pitfalls for the “Mary” personality in this passage as well.  They just are not addressed in this particular account.  But when it comes to keeping our focus on Jesus Christ we definitely want to be more like Mary.  In this story, she was the one who has her spiritual priorities straight.  Our Lord Jesus is the good portion who won’t be taken away when we give our lives to Him.  Unfortunately we sometimes take ourselves away.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being my good portion whom I can partake of daily through Your Word and prayer.  Help me not to be so distracted by the business of life, that I somehow end up taking myself away from You.  Let me say with the Psalmist, “taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Amen.