June 29 I Tuesday

Job 14-16

Acts 9:22-43

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things…’”  —Luke 10:41

Martha is distracted with making sure everything is perfect during Jesus’s visit, but her sister, Mary, is not helping her. Instead, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening intently to His teachings. Frustrated, Martha implores Jesus, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40). Jesus did not berate Martha by saying, “You know what, Martha? I can see the anger all over your face, and now you have come to tell Me what I should do in this situation between the two of you? Why don’t you just go blow off some steam?” On the contrary, Jesus tenderly responds, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things…” Jesus repeats Martha’s name twice, intentionally slowing her down, and acknowledging what she is feeling.

      As we look into our own life and around the world, that could be us today; we are upset about many things. Our schedules may be filled, but it does not produce greater levels of productivity or peace; rather, it brings greater levels of anxiety and distraction. We live in a culture of distraction; there are more distractions today than any other time in human history. One of the greatest distractions in our lives is our smartphones, where we have endless access to streaming services, video games and social media. Sometimes this busyness and these distractions actually cause us to be more anxious and worried, becoming upset about many things. 

      There is a “good” busyness, as we are preoccupied with the things of the Lord, but sometimes our busyness and distractions with worldly things can eventually make us disgruntled, even with Jesus. We may shake our fists at God saying, “Don’t You care? Don’t You see me? Don’t You know what I am going through?”

      Martha is so focused on the work of the Lord that she had taken her eye off of the Lord of the work. Jesus brings to surface the state of her heart and reminds her of something better: “…few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). In essence, Jesus says, “Martha, you have been occupied with things that aren’t inherently evil, but they are distracting you from what is better.” A better way to live and to understand the pathway of the good life is rooted in who Jesus is. As author Leo Christopher once wrote, “There is only one thing more precious than our time and that’s who we spend it on.” 

Prayer: Almighty God, help me to be wise with how I spend my time. Above streaming services, video games and social media, I want my precious time to be spent on You. Thank You, God.