Choosing the Better
By
Susan Klein
“Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”
Hebrews
12:2a (NIV)
Two of the most beloved sisters in the Bible are Mary and
Martha. Some have argued that Martha got a bad rap. Perhaps she was just a
really hard worker, maintaining a home and a staff and trying to be the model
hostess. What if Mary was actually somewhat of a slacker? (Like that younger
sister who hides out in the bathroom for an hour when the table needs clearing
and the dishes need to be washed.) We really don’t know for sure the
circumstances leading up to this exchange between Martha and Jesus in Luke
chapter 10. What we do know is that in this circumstance, “Mary has chosen what is better.”
I believe the “better” that Jesus references has everything to
do with Himself. It wasn’t that Mary was being an astute
listener or model student of the Master, it was that she was choosing Him over
“worry.” She chose Him over all the “distractions.” She chose Him over being
“upset about many things.” Martha’s
choice to prepare and be hospitable was not a bad choice, but she was missing
out on the “better” choice because she was focusing on herself.
How many times do we miss out because we don’t choose the
better? Like Martha, we choose to compare, complain, and combust when things
aren’t going the way we think they should. We choose to focus on ourselves and
our circumstances. Mary wasn’t ignorant of the fact that Jesus was coming to
dinner with an entourage in tow. She knew there was much to prepare for, yet
she chose to drink of the Living Water rather than fret about what to feed
them. She chose to trust in the Provider rather than worry if there were enough
provisions for the group. She chose to sit and be still, rather than run around
in a flurry of activity.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us have a bit of a
Martha side. We have our to-do lists that need to get done, and that’s okay.
But when they don’t get done or distractions come in, can we choose to seek Jesus over worry? When our
neighbor’s life looks to be going better than ours, can we choose to thank Jesus for what we’ve been blessed
with over choosing to compare? When someone is being ugly to us, can we choose
to ask Jesus to love that person through us?
In
every circumstance, there are choices. Will you choose the better?
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
Choose to start your morning with Jesus, asking Him to prepare your to-do list.
2.
Consider all your options before choosing.
FURTHER
READING:
Susan enjoys
teaching Bible studies, writing, and tutoring with the Literacy Council. She
and her husband Mark most recently co-led an on-site small group with Oakwood's
Wednesday Night Community.
