“But Martha was distracted with much serving.”
Luke 10:40

In the past when I would study about Martha and Mary I would
often wonder why Mary wasn’t the one that Jesus “talked” to. As women, I think we are prone to anxiously working ourselves to death without even realizing it. We become so fixated on making things Pinterest worthy that we often forget to be happy in the moment. To enjoy the little things. We forget to stop and really listen to Jesus. Mary
was doing all of the work. She was working hard. She was making sure that every detail was perfect for Jesus; however, that’s not what Jesus wanted. He wanted her attention. He wanted her time. I know without a doubt that I fail at this daily. Not only do I fail at this in my relationship with Jesus, but I also fail at this with the people around me. Even at Christmas or Easter, I can easily get caught up in traditions and activities. The hustle and bustle of the holidays can quickly make me forget to stop and enjoy these irreplaceable memories with my family. In a quest to make all of the details just right we often times
do the exact opposite. We become tyrants belting out orders to anyone that will listen. Our anxiousness and need for perfection can cause everyone else around us grief. Living on pins and needles because mommy is being a control freak is not what I want my kids to remember. We should not be miserable when we serve. We shouldn’t be so hyper-focused on accomplishing the task that we forget the why. We should be present. We should listen. There isn’t anything wrong with being a Mary. We should all work hard. We should want things to be nice for other people. We just have to find the balance between the two. Proverbs 31:15-17 says to rise early. Work hard. Give it all you have up until go time and then sit back and enjoy all the blessings that God has given. There is a time to listen, to learn, and to love. Soak it all in, and make some amazing memories with your family and friends. Let’s serve by giving our undivided attention to the people and activities that deserve it. Let’s serve by being present.

God, today I want to be present. I want to serve others by listening. By not rushing. By not being a nervous ball of energy. Help me to be sensitive to those around me. Lord help me work hard like Mary, and let me love like Martha. Amen.