Luke 10:38-42
New International Version (NIV)
At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But 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, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
I never liked the story of Martha and Mary. And for the past 30 years or so, it remained one of those stories I couldn't quite figure out. Then I became a mother, and 11 years into motherhood it has finally taken on a new meaning.
Growing up in the Kelly/Newkirk household (I include Newkirk because I spent a huge portion of my summers at my grandparents'.) hard work was valued and expected. I was told I could be anything I wanted to be if I worked hard. I watched my family work hard no matter what the circumstances. And I never questioned the verse (Colossians 3:23) "Do everything as if unto the Lord" because I pretty much witnessed it day after day. That part of the Bible I understood. But in my world, when Jesus went to visit Martha and Mary, Mary should have gotten up off her butt and helped her sister! After all, we're supposed to work hard not sit around and be lazy. I identified with Martha, and if I were in her family, no one would have needed to tell me to help out. I would have been in the kitchen before anyone had to ask.
Then on June 19, 2014 God decided to change my mind.
I needed to go up to Camp Grayling and finish working on the trailer to get it ready for the month of July. I packed all my tools in the car, a few clothes for the kids, and a plethora of trailer accessories to make life easier for our family - namely a screen room that fits on our awning. Because with 6 kids and multiple meals, eating inside a new trailer is simply not an option. But eating outside with cat sized mosquitoes doesn't quite work either.
After the car was packed, and the 2 and 3 year old shipped off to Grammama's, we were on to our second chore of the day - cleaning the house. My mother always taught me to clean the house before you go away because you'll be tired when you come back. I try to live by this rule. (For the sake of transparency my house is not clean most of the time. Perhaps when the youngest is 3 we'll get there, but until then, it is a daily battle.) I told Gabe and Susie that we were going to go through the house together and work on it room by room until we got the upstairs done.
My plan was working. We hit my bedroom first, and sure enough, 15 minutes later, we were out of there. Next, on to the living room. Then one by one the kids' rooms. But somewhere along the line, I got sidetracked and was working in a different area than Gabe and Susie. When I came back to the girls' room to check on their status, I found them NOT working. And I was NOT pleased. Thankfully, I asked them what they were doing before I reacted.
Gabe had put Susie's Awana CD in her cd player and they were listening to Bible stories and practicing their verses. They had been distracted by God.
My anger quickly subsided and in a matter of seconds I understood, from the perspective of a mother, that seeking God is by far more important than doing chores and getting our work done. I had known this in my mind but still it had never settled in to my soul. I am very grateful to finally have learned this lesson and even more humbled that my children learned it 30 years before I did.
While the world may view my children as 'being distracted by God,' perhaps listening to the Holy Spirit would be a more accurate description. I want my children to have a deep and intimate relationship with Christ. I want Him to be able to catch their attention quickly. I pray that they are able to discern between right and wrong and what is eternal and what is mortal.
It is good to work - and to work hard. But it is even better to know and love Christ - to take that time to have a relationship with Him instead of being distracted by the things of this world. Because if we are honest, God is never a distraction. He is actually the Center of the universe. The Creator of Owner of all things. Nothing is ever more important than Him. It seems obvious, but it took a 5 and 7 year old for me to finally understand.
