Sit Down Somewhere!

Luke 10:41-42

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Have you ever seen someone who is just busy all the time? You can’t even enjoy your peace because of the anxiety that they are toting around and bringing in your space. When we were children and we were running around in the house disturbing the peace, my mother would get our attention and exclaim, “Get somewhere and sit down!” Order would be restored and my mother was able to go back to her peace and quiet, at least for a little while.

There are a lot of grown folks who need to get somewhere and sit down as well because they are disturbing the peace and don’t have any peace themselves. That’s why the bible tells us, to be still and know that He is God. A lot of times we are just busy bodies but we are not really being productive and we are making everybody else anxious in the meantime.

Many of us are ‘Mary’ living in a ‘Martha’ world. Mary is at peace while Martha is distracted/worried by many things. When Jesus visited the house of Mary and Martha, Martha was frantically preparing dinner for Jesus who made a surprise visit, while her sister Mary sat down at the feet of Jesus to listen to what he had to say. Martha got mad at Jesus and Mary. Martha asked Jesus, “Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” some people are bothered when they see you at peace while they are panicking. Some people are aggravated when they are anxious and you are at peace.

Martha was anxious, upset, worried about many things. It just wasn’t that her sister was not helping her; it was that this had become her way of dealing with life, she stayed busy. Jesus said, “You are worried and distracted by “Many” things. This had become a lifestyle, being perpetually busy and distracted while Mary chose the good thing.

Jesus said, “Only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away.” In a world that is chaotic and filled with many distractions we have to learn to get somewhere and sit down! Mary chose the good thing, this is what she did:

1. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet. She had submitted to his leadership instead of just staying busy.
2. Mary was listening which meant she was learning from Jesus. We have to take time everyday to get still and listen to what Jesus is saying before we get busy.
3. Mary had peace which surpasses all human understanding. Her sister could not understand why Mary was not anxious with all that needed to be done. When you have a solid relationship with Jesus, life will not make you anxious.

Dear God,

Help me to be like Mary in a Martha world. There is so much to be done but I don’t want to do it until after I’ve received from you. Some thing’s have to wait. I’m going to sit down somewhere so I can hear from you today.

In Jesus Name,

Amen