She chose what was better. By Aije Barnes July 1 Issue 1 Vol 3

The story of Mary and Martha has been on my mind lately. I will like to share the following ministration with you about one of these sisters' encounters with Jesus, as it has been laid on my heart. 

 

This account is in Luke's gospel chapter 10. Here it is below:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “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.” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

This scenario above reminds me of an African market place. For those if you who have not experienced this, the scene is as  follows; there are a lot of market stalls and the marketeers cry out the names of the products they are trying to sell with the hope that prospective customers would be attracted to them.  They would then try and convince the customer to buy  their product. 

The customer would look at their shopping list and either go directly to the area in the marketplace they are used to, and or listen out for the product they are looking for and go there.  They sometimes get distracted by things they did not go to the market for. 

So what am I getting at? Life is like a marketplace with all sorts of things calling out for our attention.  These things are not necessarily bad but can absorb our attention so much that we forget, don't have time or are too tired to choose what is better for us.  

Martha was a great lady doing great things for The Lord at the time of His visit.  But she was getting all worried  and upset about many things that she should not have  and in her frustration feeling nobody wanted to help her or even cared about what she was going through, grumbled to The Lord.

I believe Jesus' response to Martha indicated that she was busying herself with things that were not needed and of all the things she was doing, only few were needed and out of the few, there was only one that was more important, which would not be taken away from her. That one thing was what Mary had chosen.  

I would feel so disappointed to find out that I busied myself doing what I thought The Lord wanted me to do only to find out that He actually wanted me to do only a few of them or even perhaps something else and missed out on doing the most important thing! Wouldn't you?

The bible days all our work will be tested with fire in the scripture quoted below:

The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 AMP)

This certainly calls for wisdom for us to follow  Mary's example by spending time with The Lord to find out what He want us to do, what His purposes are for our lives and do the things he has asked us to do,  not what we think we should do or what others are doing. 

The Lord has a purpose for each of us. Find out what yours is and do it faithfully. It may not seem big in yours eyes but the The Lord knows your ability and the gifts or talents He given you to fulfill the purposes He has for you.  God's purpose for you, no matter how big or small you may feel it is, is part of a much bigger picture and we are all called to fulfill our part and to do this with humility and faithfully. 

Let us, like Mary,  choose what is better and not get distracted by things that add no value. 

God bless