[This post is by Leah Nelson]
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion. which will not be taken away from her." -Luke 10:38-42
In this text, there were several things obviously happening: Jesus was invited to a banquet in the house of His good friend, Martha. However, in the eyes of the world (and specifically in the culture of that time) there are several things terribly wrong and unusual with Mary's behavior. What are they?
1. Mary left her sister alone to do all the serving. In a sense, it was simply Mary's duty and responsibility to help with the dinner preparations. It was not fair for Mary to neglect her fair share of work. Afterall, this was no small task that Martha had before her. It was simply expected that Mary would help and do her share of work. This would seem very rude and even somewhat irresponsible on Mary's part.
2. During that period of time, it was culturally inappropriate for a woman to sit at the feet of any rabbi. Why? Because only disciples sat and listened to rabbis and discipleship was reserved only for men. What is a disciple, afterall? A disciple is like a student who is tightly attached to his/her teacher. A disciple listens, follows and clings to every word spoken by the rabbi, to the extent that the student is trained and molded by his rabbi. Mary assumed a position that was unrightfully hers.
Wow, so in the eyes of the world and of that culture, Mary seemed to be rude to her sister, lazy, inconsiderate, irresponsible and culturally inappropriate. I am sure that Jesus would have to agree, right? Dead wrong.
Jesus said that Mary chose the good portion. Mary chose what was the very best. So, was it really the best? Wasn't Mary being culturally inappropraite? Wasn't she being rude and lazy? Mary took her share alright, but she took her share of God's precious Word and LISTENING to our Master, which is far more vaulable than impressive and busy work. Jesus told Martha that she was anxious and troubled about so many things but that only one thing was necessary. What was that one necessary thing? Was Jesus talking about food? Did He mean that only one kind of food was necessary instead of all the preparations that Martha was making? No, I don't think so...
The Word of Jesus Christ is the one thing that is necessary. I fully believe that this is what Jesus meant. He was not talking about food or other banquet preparations, He was talking about Himself. He is what is necessary, knowing Him is what is necessary, listening to His words is what is necessary, prayer is what is necessary.
There is a female singer whom I respect, her name is Misty Edwards. She is a Christian singer who does not use an ounce of her talent for herself but for the sake of Jesus Christ. She also serves with the International House of Prayer. There was a guy named Mike who was concerned about Misty for a period of time. He said that all Misty ever did was pray, pray, pray and then pray some more. Misty often prayed for about 8-10 hours a day. Mike was concerned that Misty should do something else with her time.
"Um, Misty, shouldn't you get a hobby or something?" Mike had asked Misty. However, later on, Mike confessed that he was feeling convicted about his own words and by Misty's lifestyle. Misty's life could have appeared lazy or just strange to the world, but she was sitting at the feet of Jesus and such a treasure should not be taken away from her.
This story, along with the one in Luke, encouraged me very much. Often when the Lord calls us and tells us to live for Him, it can look irresponsible, irrational, culturally inappropriate, lazy or just plain odd to the world (and sadly, to other Christians). In my own life, I have been asked, "Leah, don't you have anything better to do than to sit around and read your Bible all day? Don't you desire a career instead of to be a poor missionary your whole life?" But I love the Lord and to sit and listen to Jesus Christ is my treasure and it will never be taken away from me.
I have also been asked, "Leah, perhaps you should try to improve in certain skills and interest yourself in some hobbies. Come on, have a little fun."
We, as humans with sinful flesh, have a tendency to make life incredibely difficult. We bring many additives on to life and we greatly value things and skills that will not help anyone enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We spend so much time and effort on things that just don't matter. I am not saying that what Martha was doing was pointless! In fact, I am talking about ourselves. Have we forgotten that really only one thing is necessary? It is to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known.
In my own life, I am not extraordinary or extravagant in anything, and I don't try to be and I don't want to be. Only one thing is really necessary to me. I think it is good to do everything with simplicity so that we can devote all of the time that we have on earth to the one thing that matters: to know Jesus Christ, be refined and molded by His Spirit, to be changed into His image, to love and adore His character, to have Him fully living in us and working for His own purposes. In other words, life is Christ and that's all it should be. He will lead us to everything He wants and wills...to the church, to the broken, to the lost....
Don't you know that all that matters is Jesus Christ? It is good to live a simple life, with very little distractions, only doing what is necessary so that we can devote all of our attention and time to Jesus Christ because He is all that matters. Then, Jesus will show us what matters to Him. But listen to this: WE WILL NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT MATTERS TO JESUS UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS ALL THAT MATTERS.
So, please, stop valuing so many things that will not help anyone enter God's kingdom. Please, stop devoting so much of God's time on what doesn't matter. Stop stressing out and simplify your life for the sake of Jesus. Devote every ounce of your existence into the wonders of our Creator. Work hard for what matter, work hard for what is eternal and not for the food that perishes.
Remember, only one thing is necessary.
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion. which will not be taken away from her." -Luke 10:38-42
In this text, there were several things obviously happening: Jesus was invited to a banquet in the house of His good friend, Martha. However, in the eyes of the world (and specifically in the culture of that time) there are several things terribly wrong and unusual with Mary's behavior. What are they?
1. Mary left her sister alone to do all the serving. In a sense, it was simply Mary's duty and responsibility to help with the dinner preparations. It was not fair for Mary to neglect her fair share of work. Afterall, this was no small task that Martha had before her. It was simply expected that Mary would help and do her share of work. This would seem very rude and even somewhat irresponsible on Mary's part.
2. During that period of time, it was culturally inappropriate for a woman to sit at the feet of any rabbi. Why? Because only disciples sat and listened to rabbis and discipleship was reserved only for men. What is a disciple, afterall? A disciple is like a student who is tightly attached to his/her teacher. A disciple listens, follows and clings to every word spoken by the rabbi, to the extent that the student is trained and molded by his rabbi. Mary assumed a position that was unrightfully hers.
Wow, so in the eyes of the world and of that culture, Mary seemed to be rude to her sister, lazy, inconsiderate, irresponsible and culturally inappropriate. I am sure that Jesus would have to agree, right? Dead wrong.
Jesus said that Mary chose the good portion. Mary chose what was the very best. So, was it really the best? Wasn't Mary being culturally inappropraite? Wasn't she being rude and lazy? Mary took her share alright, but she took her share of God's precious Word and LISTENING to our Master, which is far more vaulable than impressive and busy work. Jesus told Martha that she was anxious and troubled about so many things but that only one thing was necessary. What was that one necessary thing? Was Jesus talking about food? Did He mean that only one kind of food was necessary instead of all the preparations that Martha was making? No, I don't think so...
The Word of Jesus Christ is the one thing that is necessary. I fully believe that this is what Jesus meant. He was not talking about food or other banquet preparations, He was talking about Himself. He is what is necessary, knowing Him is what is necessary, listening to His words is what is necessary, prayer is what is necessary.
There is a female singer whom I respect, her name is Misty Edwards. She is a Christian singer who does not use an ounce of her talent for herself but for the sake of Jesus Christ. She also serves with the International House of Prayer. There was a guy named Mike who was concerned about Misty for a period of time. He said that all Misty ever did was pray, pray, pray and then pray some more. Misty often prayed for about 8-10 hours a day. Mike was concerned that Misty should do something else with her time.
"Um, Misty, shouldn't you get a hobby or something?" Mike had asked Misty. However, later on, Mike confessed that he was feeling convicted about his own words and by Misty's lifestyle. Misty's life could have appeared lazy or just strange to the world, but she was sitting at the feet of Jesus and such a treasure should not be taken away from her.
This story, along with the one in Luke, encouraged me very much. Often when the Lord calls us and tells us to live for Him, it can look irresponsible, irrational, culturally inappropriate, lazy or just plain odd to the world (and sadly, to other Christians). In my own life, I have been asked, "Leah, don't you have anything better to do than to sit around and read your Bible all day? Don't you desire a career instead of to be a poor missionary your whole life?" But I love the Lord and to sit and listen to Jesus Christ is my treasure and it will never be taken away from me.
I have also been asked, "Leah, perhaps you should try to improve in certain skills and interest yourself in some hobbies. Come on, have a little fun."
We, as humans with sinful flesh, have a tendency to make life incredibely difficult. We bring many additives on to life and we greatly value things and skills that will not help anyone enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We spend so much time and effort on things that just don't matter. I am not saying that what Martha was doing was pointless! In fact, I am talking about ourselves. Have we forgotten that really only one thing is necessary? It is to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known.
In my own life, I am not extraordinary or extravagant in anything, and I don't try to be and I don't want to be. Only one thing is really necessary to me. I think it is good to do everything with simplicity so that we can devote all of the time that we have on earth to the one thing that matters: to know Jesus Christ, be refined and molded by His Spirit, to be changed into His image, to love and adore His character, to have Him fully living in us and working for His own purposes. In other words, life is Christ and that's all it should be. He will lead us to everything He wants and wills...to the church, to the broken, to the lost....
Don't you know that all that matters is Jesus Christ? It is good to live a simple life, with very little distractions, only doing what is necessary so that we can devote all of our attention and time to Jesus Christ because He is all that matters. Then, Jesus will show us what matters to Him. But listen to this: WE WILL NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT MATTERS TO JESUS UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS ALL THAT MATTERS.
So, please, stop valuing so many things that will not help anyone enter God's kingdom. Please, stop devoting so much of God's time on what doesn't matter. Stop stressing out and simplify your life for the sake of Jesus. Devote every ounce of your existence into the wonders of our Creator. Work hard for what matter, work hard for what is eternal and not for the food that perishes.
Remember, only one thing is necessary.
No comments:
Post a Comment