There are three of us living together in this 3-bedroom house. I am the owner of the house and Martha and Mary is renting. They are two sisters, of which Martha is the oldest. Our living arrangements suit us all most of the time, but as in all households there are moments when it is a smooth ride and peace and quiet rule in the house. But then there are also those times when we do not see eye to eye and our ship is sailing on rough waters, especially the days when Martha starts bossing us around.
The décor of every room will immediately tell you that there are three different personalities nesting in this home. The green, grey and white colors of my room seem fresh, clean and calm. The mirrors on the wall reflect the outside coming to visit through the window.
As far as the eye can see, my room portrays neatness, but in fact it is organized chaos. My desk is a bit of a mess, but if you dare moving anything a little to the left or right, I will need a search party to look for my valuable stuff. I know exactly where to find my things and appreciate it being left alone.
Mary’s room is the messiest room in my mansion. Purple and blue cushions are scattered on the deep red duvet. The smell of her perfume - holy fragrances - linger in the room. Yesterday’s clothes are thrown in the corner and shoes are stacked against the wall. Framed pictures of her tattoos on the walls, speak about her fortunes and misfortunes in life. There are books everywhere. The bookmarks tell a story of someone reading a few pages, getting bored and then start reading something else. There are Bible versions galore. Plenty books from Exclusive Books from well-known authors – Bevere, Leaf, Meyer, Hinn, Jakes fill the shelves. Gospel music plays peacefully in the background. A shofar on the mantlepiece is the cherry on the cake.
The neatness of Martha’s room is in direct contrast to Mary’s merry mess. An army sergeant would be proud of the way her bed is made. You can eat off the floor. When you open the cupboard, you will know that Martha un-pack and re-pack her cupboard every week. T-shirts are folded the exact same size, there is a precise separation of under garments in boxes and the wrinkle-free clothes on the rail can be measured by the millimeter - from long to short. With a tad of imagination, you will be able to smell the Jik-detergent, or some or other new bleach on the market.
Martha was born with a broom in her hand. Whenever she is not sweeping floors, she washes dishes or iron clothes. She hates it when guests surprise her or visit at short notice and runs around preparing innovative dishes to make them feel at home. She wants to be hospitable. While she is busy breaking out a sweat from frantically rushing around, it goes unnoticed that her guests need to entertain themselves. To her, ‘love’ means to feed and clean.
Mary, on the other hand, welcomes the unannounced visitors with open arms without a glance at the empty glasses on the coffee table. After the first “How are you’s” she throws the blankets aside and wipes off the cookie crusts to reveal the sofa. When unsuccessfully looking around to find a chair for herself to sit on, she grabs the dog blanket and collapses on that to the floor. After coffee - sometimes only water – her guests leave feeling refreshed and renewed.
Martha, Mary and me…we do not live under the same roof, but we live under the same skin – almost like multiple personalities. I am Mary in the mornings, sitting at the feet of Jesus. Throughout the day, especially with unforeseen circumstances, I become Martha and later in the evenings, Mary may re-appear.
We tend to frown upon Martha’s busyness with meal prep and homemaking duties, but I can certainly relate to that. Our to-do lists as businesswomen, wives, mothers and every other different roll, may become our focus. We get distracted, easily stressed and worried by so many things. Mary chose the best part – sitting at the Lord’s feet. He said so Himself. But when we read the passage in Luke 10: 38-41 we realize that there is also a great lesson to be learned from Martha’s temperament.
She was a good servant. Like us all, I am sure she was not always ecstatic about serving. Sometimes we serve with an attitude of
- “I hate cooking and cleaning, but we must eat and wear clothes.”
- “Someone must do the work”, or
- “I am always the only one working here. I wish someone can help me.”
- We may even run to God and, like Martha, ask: “Father, does it not bother You that I am the only one here trying to juggle all the balls?”
I pray that we may all serve with a willing heart; like a good and faithful servant, as for the Lord and not for people.
The story of Martha and Mary made me reflect:
- Do I have my priorities in order?
- Like Martha, am I worried or anxious about many things, or, like Mary, am I focused on listening to Jesus and spending time in His presence?
- Have I put devotion to Christ and His Word first, or am I more concerned about doing good deeds?
We need a rhythm of work and rest to live up to our God-given potential. Balance between work and rest produces physically healthy, mentally stimulated and spiritually fulfilled human beings. Exhaustion can often lead to larger issues – depression, strained relationships and weariness may diminish the joy in life.
Besides Martha and Mary, what can we learn from the Master Himself? He created and then He rested. He also commanded the Israelites to rest, because He knows - rest is crucial. That said - it is important to note that the sanctity of rest should in no way undervalue the importance of the dignity of work.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could find a balance between WORSHIP and SERVICE?
The following poem “WORSHIP and SERVICE” describes my heart so well:
I cannot choose; I should have liked so much To sit at Jesus’ feet—to feel the touch Of His kind, gentle hand upon my head While drinking in the gracious words He said.
And yet to serve Him!—Oh, divine employ— To minister and give the Master joy. To bathe in coolest springs His weary feet, And wait upon Him while He sat at meat!
Worship or service—which? Ah, that is best To which He calls us, be it toil or rest— To labor for Him in life’s busy stir, Or seek His feet, a silent worshipper.
–Caroline Atherton Mason
Ps.
For thought and contemplation: Do you get your self-worth from your inner being, or from your outer activity?
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