Martha or Mary?

Several weeks ago, I had the chance to sit and talk with a friend that I don't get the chance to talk to very often.  We both have toddlers about the same age and live two timezones apart, so coordinating talk times is not very easy.  The times that we do get to talk, we generally just have time to get caught up on life in general and the other bare essentials, but this particular night we got to talk for a few hours and it changed my life and my heart in ways I never expected it would.

Around this same time, I had a status message up on facebook regarding not knowing what to do with my life.  She shared with me that she had been praying for me and felt impressed to share something with me.  She went on to tell me that I was already doing what I was meant to do with my life: loving and caring about others.  Deep down I was really a Mary and not the Martha I was trying so desperately to be.  (Luke 10)  I'll be honest, at first I was almost offended by such a thought.  What's so wrong with being a Martha??  Martha's get things done.  They are organized and know how to present a home/job/task with professional ease.  Was that REALLY so bad? 

Let's fast forward to tonight.  The first Wednesday evening of each month is dedicated to an hour of prayer at our church.  Since I'm already laying it all out there, I'll just say that I haven't cracked open my bible in I'm not sure how long, nor have I had any real prayer time other than at meals to speak of.  I decided to go tonight and really pour myself into that hour and "touch heaven" with my prayers.  Well, I did pray, and I did hear...but what I needed was the Word we read before hand. 

My dad read to us out of Luke Chapter 11...and honestly, I don't remember the text, because my eyes were glued to the previous page. 

Luke 10:38-42

38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But 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!"


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

Then it hit me.  I AM Martha.  There have been SO many times I have been distracted by or angered by the fact that people I thought should be helping me work - whether it be for the church, MOPS, or something else - were just content with sitting and being there.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with them doing so.  In fact, many times we ALL need to do just that.  What hit me hardest is what Martha says to Jesus...  "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"  The Son of God is in her home.  Instead of relishing the time she is getting to spend with him, she is complaning and demanding things of him!  How many times have I done just that and not realized it?  Even worse...how many times have I done that and known exaclty what I was doing?
 
A bit later, I was talking with another friend of mine and sharing with her what God had shown me tonight.  I love this friend.  She is the kind that can say more with her silence and smile than she ever could with an "I told you so" and it's always done in love.  She simply sat and let me spew out all the things pouring through my brain.  While talking to her, I realized the following things.
 

• Being Martha is NOT bad.  In fact, we need the balance that Martha brings.  Martha's DO get things done and do so well.  Many times they are the ones who will work when no one else will.
• Being Mary is NOT bad.  The balance that Mary brings to things is that she knows that there is a time for everything and takes the time to sit, rest and spend time with her Lord.  
• Being ALL Mary or ALL Martha is where things can get bad.
• All Martha - generally this leads to a "works rather than relationship" mentality.  It starts off innocently enough.  Martha sees a need to be fulfilled and steps into the designated slot to take care of it.  Over time though, Martha's may tend to overextend themselves and get "too busy" to spend time with the Lord.  If Martha is not careful being busy can lead to being BUSY (Being Under Satan's Yoke).
• All Mary - There is nothing better than sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to his words.  If Mary is not careful, however, she will ONLY sit and never serve.  As Christians, we are called to be servants of all.  Isn't that why Jesus came in the first place?  PLEASE don't get me wrong.  I fully believe we should be in the presence of God at all times as Christians and walk in Him daily.  I'm not saying to not do so.  I merely mean that in some cases, Mary's can have complacency set in and become perfectly content to ONLY receive and never give.

 What I found tonight in that short passage and in the prayers that followed was this.  In my life, Martha is consuming me, not because that's who I am, but because that's what I feel is expected.  I LOVE the ministries I assist with and cannot wait to see the nursery class, young adults group, MOPS group and outreach ministries grow.  I don't need to forever lead though.  I don't need the title.  I don't need to use the responsibilities I have taken on to be able to say, "Oh poor me...look at all I have to do." (...and sadly I've been guilty of doing just that.)  What I need is to let Mary back in.  I need to let there be times when I will JUST BE.  And I need to not feel guilty for it. 

Jesus isn't coming to my house to see how clean it is.  He's coming to see me.