Day 110 "The Tale of Mary and Martha"

To contrast the differences between two items or two people is a good way of distinguishing them from one another. In this case, Mary and Martha provide a valuable insight for us in living out the Christian life. Since we live in a world predicated on works and performance, it is difficult not to incorporate the same attitudes and beliefs when it comes to living our relationship with God. But as we shall see, there is a striking difference between living for God out of our efforts than that which rests in God's ability and trusting in him by faith.

In the 10th chapter of Luke, we find one sister, Martha, who had opened up her home to Jesus and his disciples. One can only imagine the excitement running through Martha's head, "I am hosting the Messiah, here, at my house! Oh, if only the rest of the ladies could see me now!" But somewhere along the way, Martha lost sight of her joy, and became increasingly agitated by the fact that she was doing all the preparations herself while her sister, Mary, sat at the Messiah's feet taking in every word that the master was saying.

Unable to contain herself no more, Martha goes to solicit Jesus help in getting Mary to help her with the things needing to be done.

"Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me." Luke 10:40

I am sure she expected Jesus to see the injustice here and request that Mary go and help her sister. But that isn't what Jesus did? Instead, Jesus gives a gentle rebuke in Martha's direction.

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

I guess one might say that the moment was a little embarrassing for Martha. But what was Jesus really saying to her? What is Jesus saying to us today? We run around trying to do all these things for God thinking that they are what God wants of us to do and, consciously, we believe that by doing them through our efforts and sacrifices that it will somehow affect how God thinks of us and how he treats us accordingly. But, as long a we maintain this mindset, we set ourselves up for disappointment by becoming distracted, just like Martha did, by the busywork that we a striving to do for the Lord rather than simply enjoying the relationship.

We, as Christians, are often fraught with frustration, disappointment, and subsequent shame for failing to live up to what we consider the Christian lifestyle and associated behavior it, supposedly, dictates by the mandate- be holy! We attempt to shoulder the weight of God's plan of salvation upon our own shoulders and feel it is our obligation to bring its success to fruition. The result? Many of the doors to our churches have become nothing more than revolving doors letting in the hopeful and letting out the weary and worn out. As long as we live under this notion that God is interested in our performance, we indenture ourselves to religious rules and its regulations. But God is clear in his desire for us to live our lives with him by faith, not of works. If Jesus has completely paid the penalty for our sins and made us holy before God, then why do we keep striving towards something? What need is there to continue to strive in our spiritual lives? Our sins are forgiven past, present, and, most of all, the future. If it is ALL forgiven , why do most Christians still strive for something that they already have? God's love and grace set us free from the worldly perspective of earning and achieving.

When it is, that we finally stumble across the understanding that Jesus abolished the religious law and its ramifications to our lives, then we will see, like Mary, the true essence of being loved unconditionally and completely accepted just as we are. Then, we will know the Son, and the Son shall set finally set us free.

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So, who be you? Are you a Martha or a Mary? What is truly important is your relationship with God, not your busywork. What you do for God won't be because you have to, but will begin to flow naturally as an overflow out your relationship with God, not out of your striving to develop one. Live your life in the relationship that God through Christ has already provided for you. That is freedom. That is love!

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe momentum in love." (Seize the moment in love)