Right now I'm reading through a book about how to be more like Mary than Martha, and if you're me, that's a hard thing to do. Something that occurred to me recently about this Mary and Martha story though, was that when Martha approaches Jesus to ask Him to tell Mary to start helping, she is totally judging Mary for sitting at Jesus' feet. Sadly, I have come to realize that I often do this as well. I sit there thinking, "Well, that's great that so and so can feel good about not working and resting at the Lord's feet, but I don't have time for that! My job is too important to say no to. My life is too busy, people ask too much of me. No, God understands that I cannot be as lazy as so and so." This attitude Martha has (and unfortunately, me too) is completely wrong, completely prideful, and completely judgmental.
Living in a real life ministry makes it very difficult to know when you can (and should) stop, when you should say no. I know that part of my problem is my lack of ability to say no, and so I take on way, way, way too much. It leaves me frustrated, stressed out, pressured, and totally judging the Marys, of whom Jesus says "(they) have made the better choice". So being "lazy" sitting at Jesus' feet is the better choice? Doesn't He want my service? Can't He see that my work is too important to simply lay aside and leave for some other unsuspecting Martha to finish off for me? Isn't it better that I take on a greater bulk of the work so that someone else can sit at the Lord's feet? Then yesterday morning I read in Acts 6. Kind of the answers to my questions:
"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Then the twelve called the multitude of the the disciples unto them, and said, 'It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.'
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, the laid their hands on them.
And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." -Acts 6:1-7
I'm not saying that my job is the same as the original twelve apostles. I'm not even saying that I'm the more important of these two groups. I don't care whether I'm the serving tables guys, or if I'm the ministering of the word and praying guys. All I know is that the complaint was valid, and the widows were important. It was a job that had to be done...but not by the guys who were already busy. So, they hired more people. I don't exactly know how to apply this in my life right this second, except to be willing to humble myself, not try to do it all, and ask for some help. The way that I am, and the way that I'm living leaves me in a messed up, judging state...and that clearly cannot be what God's perfect plans for my life and heart are. Nor was that what He wanted from the original Martha, who in serving the Lord, totally missed the point.
