My BAD habit…and why Mary and Martha really BUG me!

I have a hard time being “still.” My mind is always thinking and my hands are always moving. There’s always more work to be done than there is the time in the day. I have a job that I love where people depend on me. At home, the laundry and dishes are never done. There are always crumbs on the floor and hungry boys to feed. I have a really hard time sitting and being still.

This is why the story of Mary and Martha has always bugged me (Luke 10:38:42). If you aren’t familiar with the story, Jesus comes to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is the one doing all the work and Mary is just sitting by Jesus. Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus tells Martha that MARY has chosen what is BETTER!!!!

I read this and thought, “What?! Doesn’t Jesus understand?  Why did he say that Mary was making the better choice?  Mary was just SITTING down! Not doing anything productive. She was just sitting at Jesus’ feet.”

I want to say, “Jesus, that’s not fair! You wouldn’t have LUNCH if it weren’t for Martha. The house wouldn’t be clean and presentable if it weren’t for Martha. How could a person just SIT in this situation? Tell Mary to get up and HELP!!”

However,  I’m beginning to understand why Jesus said Mary made the better choice. She chose relationships over tasks. She chose people over projects.

I went from being irritated by this story to being so grateful that I follow a Jesus who invites us to rest. To sit. To listen. Jesus doesn’t need us to do anything for him. He just wants a relationship with us. Martha was doing so much, working so hard – for Him! Yet Jesus said that Mary chose what was better. Mary was sitting at his feet, listening. Growing in her relationship with Him.

That story would always sting because I’m Martha. I choose to get work done when I could be connecting with my kids. My husband comes home from a long day at work and I continue to stay focused on a task (or hand him a list of things to do) rather than just stopping to connect, to make eye contact and ask about his day.

Ouch. Sorry Ted.

I’m learning that it’s good to be still. It’s okay that the house stays messy so I can invest in my kids. The dishes and laundry will eventually get done (or not?), but people are the only things that are eternal.  My children need me to be present and engaged. My husband needs my heart and attention. Jesus wants me to ‘sit at his feet’ so that He can refresh my soul.

Mary chose what was better because she chose to stop, listen, and get to know Jesus.

Today I’m choosing to be more like Mary. I will STOP what I’m doing, look my husband and children in the eyes…LISTEN to them and TALK with them. That is the better choice.

Today I choose RELATIONSHIPS and CONNECTION over tasks.

I choose PEOPLE over projects.

Have you found yourself trying to just “get stuff done”? What have you found that helps you overcome this and just “BE STILL?”