November 30, 2006
Tis' the Season...
Every year during the holidays many women come down with Martha-itis. Doctor Luke records, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made…” (Luke 10:38-40 NIV) Some of us just can’t seem to sit down at the Lord’s feet until the work is done, the meals are cooked and the decorations are in place. The weary Martha asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” What Martha should have asked was, “Lord, shall we order in KFC, Domino’s or Taco Bell?”
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Gail;
---KFC chicken now tastes like it's been fried in water since they stopped using the good hydrogenated-or-whatever-it-was cooking oil. The Lord wouldn't want flavorless chicken. And have you seen how many calories are in even a small pizza? Tacos taste great, all fifty of them it takes to fill you up. But, if your broom and dust pan are clean you can get away with only twenty-five, and a few more empty shells. I think Martha needs to stay in the kitchen.
----But wasn't it just like Jesus to sit down and start teaching Mary at fix-the-dinner time? He always was a controversial guy. Sitting on the couch and dreamin' of Jesus will get me out of work only so long at our house. Char inevitably gets squeazed by the schedule and begins to wonder why my Jesus-time has not produced the decency in me to ask if she needs help. After suffering a few tough scoldings, I learned that company won't mind if I at least ask if she needs help. And they will well have to put up with it if she says yes.
----All humor aside, though, Char is doing well at teaching me how she wants to be loved. And Jesus seemed to leave us in this predicument that requires preparation, eating, and clean-up. So, since that has to be done, Char is always ready to do it, and I try to pitch in. And, at least around our house, Jesus seems to arrange the spiritual meals at times that do not conflict with the physical ones. Char stops her busyness once a day to give her attention to the Bible and some other spiritual book.
----I am glad in a way that Jesus no longer sits around on the floor to do His teaching there. He is now a mobile Jesus. He goes with us in our hearts. I know that He is in Char's heart very big because of the effort she makes to serve. I know He is in my heart, too, because of the effort I make to help. He teaches by those efforts and our thoughts and feelings of one another and the reflections upon the Word that pass through the mind as we work. I sincerely believe that after Jesus ascended into heaven He took up residence in Martha's heart and helped her do the dishes with joy and the relaxation in peace.
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