Sisters in Faith
Don’t Get So Busy
Martha was the responsible one. She was the one who made sure things were in order. She made sure Jesus was honored when He came to her home. She believed honoring Him meant the house must be clean, the food must be cooked, and the people must be served. There was so much she carried on her shoulders. Martha represents the busyness of this world, which can distract us from spending time with God. She had Jesus right in front of her; she was in His presence! But all she could see was serving and cleaning. When she complained that Mary was not doing her part, Jesus spoke to her and let her know that spending time with Him was honoring Him. Once she realized she couldn’t impress Him with superficial things, she learned to come to Jesus just as she was. She realized He only wanted her heart. Even when we are about the Master’s work, we have to take personal time to meet with Him and not let the external trappings keep us from saturating ourselves in the presence of God. (1, p.189, 190)
Excerpt from She Speaks: Wisdom from the Women of the Bible to the Modern Black Woman
© 2013 by Michele Clark Jenkins