Are you a Mary or a Martha?

At the New Year, I blogged that I had several “hopefuls” for 2012.

One of these things was to take part in a Bible study.

I’m so happy to report that I have just joined one and am super excited about it.

It’s funny, one day after church, Jenn, my good friend hands me this book and says, “This is our next Bible Study.” And I’m pretty sure I heard a “hint, hint, hint” in her words.

Do you see this? “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.”

Ding! Ding! Ding!

It was like she was supposed to hand me this book.

After reading chapter one, we had to decide if we were more of a Mary or a Martha.

I have to say I am a Martha.

You see, Martha is the one who opened her door and her home to Jesus and the Disciples.

While Jesus was teaching to the Disciples in her living room, Martha was running around making sure the perfect meal was cooked, the decorations were made perfectly, and everything was “perfect”.

In her craziness of all her actions, she found her sister, Mary, sitting on the floor at Jesus’ feet listening and absorbing all his teachings.

Martha got upset and went to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me.”

Jesus simply replied, “Martha, Martha, You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

There are several things this makes me think about:

1 – First, I think Martha might get a little “bad rap” for her actions here. I don’t think Martha was necessarily a bad person. I think she was just so caught up in the things she felt needed to be done so Jesus would have a nice meal, she almost missed the fact that Jesus was in her home. She almost missed the big picture.

2 – I don’t think Jesus was necessarily getting on to Martha for her actions or saying that Mary was the “better one” because she was just listening and not worrying about all the other stuff. He was just saying that that was her and he wasn’t going to take that away from her.

I will admit I do want to be a Mary. I want to be that person that takes it all in, stops and enjoys life, and the gifts that God has given me. However, I find myself all the time caught up in the “have to’s
and the “things that needs to be done” around the house and in life.

My to-do list is a mile long everyday and I get flustered and stressed when I can’t get them all done.

I want to make sure my family has healthy, good meals on the dinner table. I want to have a clean, picked up {non-clutter} home, I want to start and finish all the craft and decorating projects, I want to be active in my kids’ classes and school. I want. I want. I want.

The “I wants” turn into the “I needs”.

Really?

This is where the Martha in me comes in. I get so caught up in the things I think I need to do when just like Martha, I’m the one missing the big picture.

I’m the one who needs to stop and smell the roses and not worry about making a pretty bouquet.

I’m the one who needs to roll around on my dirty floor with my kids and not worry that dirt is all under me.

I’m the one who needs to step over the laundry on the floor.

I truly believe there can be a happy balance between being a Martha and a Mary, but it will take discipline, reorganization, and a desire to make it happen.

I have the desire, so I’m one step closer to release my inner Mary. I know she’s in there and look forward to letting her out and help calm my Martha-ness.

So, I ask you…are you a Martha or a Mary?