"Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that."
Balance
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42You are probably familiar with this little cameo when Jesus visited Mary and Martha and Mary sat down with Jesus while Martha did all the work! One commentator writes on this passage: “I hope it was Mary and Martha who told Luke the story perhaps laughing at themselves as they did”.
Now this passage as been used over the years to prove all sorts of theories about the role of women in society. I don’t think that was Luke’s purpose in including it. What do we learn from the passage that we can apply to our lives?
The story illustrates humanity in a timeless way. Some of us are better at doing than sitting and being still and listening. Some even like to appear to be doing all the work – and to let everyone else know about it!
Jesus’ words to Martha effectively tell her not to be stressed! Jesus is not saying that all the things Martha was doing to make him welcome in her home were unnecessary. I am sure he and the disciples appreciated the lunch she was preparing for them. He was telling her to keep a balance. He was almost using Stephen Covey’s famous dictum: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
Today as you play, train, work in the office, give it all you have got but tried to avoid getting “worried and upset about many things”. Knowing and experiencing the presence of Jesus is the main thing and it will never be taken away from you.