Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).
Mary and Martha are sisters with two very different personalities. Jewel and I are sisters with two very different personalities. I can definitely relate to Martha more than Mary. I wish this wasn't so, I wish I was more like Mary. In an essay I read (http://www.religioustolerance.org/kumasi01.htm) it calls this the the "Martha Syndrome and Mary solution". Martha is the one that's distracted; worried about getting her tasks done in a timely manner, always making preparations and thinking about the future. She's probably also a "people-pleaser" trying so hard that she puts her own needs aside. She can't sit down to enjoy whatever is going on. Mary is content, settling in to enjoy the fellowship. People are more important than time and tasks. She would rather hear from the Lord than accomplish her own tasks. And I'm more like Martha??? Yikes.
How can I get past the busyness of this time of the year to make sure I'm focusing on what's most important? Studying & finals, friends graduating, "moving" home, Christmas parties & preparations, shopping, grad school applications, and beginning an intense full-time internship.. it seems like the tasks, requirements, and activities never end. I don't think that just because my personality ('Type-A', shocker I know, haha) is bent towards Martha is an excuse. How do I stop being caught up in accomplishing my tasks when my tasks in-and-of themselves aren't bad? I'd like to say I have the right priorities, just not enough hours in the day, however that's a lame excuse. I need to cut something out, but what? I don't want this to be just something to help me through finals, but more of a lifestyle change. How do I slow down?
I love you Jessie. :) You are wiser than me.
ReplyDeleteJessie! You've been blogging is MAY and HIDING it from me?????
ReplyDeleteUh, that was SINCE May - - -
ReplyDeleteAh Yes - - - the Martha/Mary Conundrum!
ReplyDeleteMy sister is the Martha, I more the Mary. However - - - we all need to have SOME of the other in us too. And yet God MADE us with our individual personality - - - which He wants us to yield to His control.
Sometimes, trying to be more Mary and less Martha, or vice versa, is difficult.
Bottom line, we have to be who we are - - -just let that personality be under His control.