Christmas is a wonderful time of year – but it is also very hectic. On top of the normal busy schedule that everyone seems to keep these days, more is added in the months around this holiday. People pack event after event into an already overcrowded and bursting schedule. Christmas “requires” so much. As people rush from thing to thing, they become stressed, frazzled, and overwhelmed.
Hours and hours are spent shopping. Children perform in Christmas musicals. Choir programs and practices eat up many nights. Christmas cards, to people never spoken to throughout the year must be sent – and of course, the yearly newsletter telling all of your exploits must be included. Decorating must be completed. Christmas parties and fellowships must be prepared for and attended. Baking, Baking, Baking - what would Christmas be without the endless supply of cookies, treats, and sweets?
None of this is bad, but on and on the list goes until it seems like you are spinning in circles, trying to accomplish it all, while still juggling your normal “crazy” schedule, doing none of it well. Hustle and bustle are two words that go hand and hand with the Christmas season. People bustle about doing hundreds of good things, yet they are often so busy, Christ - the reason for the season – gets little more than a cursory glance.
As I sat and considered this post, I was reminded of a very familiar story in Scripture. In the gospel of Luke, we are presented with a scene in chapter 10. Christ has just sent out the 70, and they have returned with glowing reports of the wonders that the Lord did through them. As they are reporting and traveling, Jesus shares with them the story of the Good Samaritan and then they come to a small town.
Upon entering the town, he is greeted by a woman named Martha, who invites Jesus and His disciples to return with her to her home. With guests entering the house, Martha gets busy preparing a meal. Busily she goes about many tasks trying to ensure that all preparations are made, and that everything is just right for her honored guests.
As she is working and serving she stops and notices something. You see, Martha was not the only resident of this house. She had a sister, Mary. When she stopped working, she noticed that her sister was doing NOTHING! She was sitting at Christ’s feet, listening to Him, not even lifting one finger to help her. She did not even offer to help Martha.
Martha could not believe this. Where does Mary get off not helping? This is her house too? They are her guests as well? What a lazy, good for nothing sister? (I am sure none of us have ever had an experience similar to this.) With these thoughts rolling around in her mind, she walked up to Jesus and said, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” (Luke 10:40)
“Jesus, my sister is not helping! Tell her to get moving and do some work!” You can almost hear the indignation, the whining tone in Martha’s little speech. “This is not fair – I should not have to do all the work!” You can almost see Jesus just slightly shake His head saying “Martha, Martha, Martha.” No anger, no frustration, no rebuke, just a simple reminder comes from Christ. “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Martha wanted the score to be settled, but Jesus wanted to show all a very important lesson. You notice in these verses, Christ does not condemn Martha for her service. He does not even say that she is wrong in serving others; He merely tries to redirect her view. He wants her to see what is really important in this situation. He wants her to get her eyes off of everything she thinks needs to be done, and get her focus on what is most important – Christ and His words.
Christ knew that meeting the physical needs was necessary. He knew that there were jobs to be done, tasks to be complete. Yet in this instance, the most important thing for those in the room, was to simply sit, and listen to Him.
It is easy in the Christian life to get bogged down with hundreds of tasks and “ministries”. There is always one more thing that needs to be done. One more worker that is needed for a Sunday School class. One more workday; one more ministry that needs a leader. All of these are good things and all these things need to be done, but it does not always have to be you.
So often, people see the need, and are moved emotionally to fill the void, and never once stop to ask God if they are the ones He has called to complete the task. As more and more things get added to the plate, before a person realizes it, they are just like Martha. So “careful and troubled” (hustling and bustling) about many things, that in the process of service, Christ is totally missed.
If you are always running and busy, are you ever taking time just to sit at His feet, and learn from the Master? It is easy as a Christian to get sucked into the idea that being busy equates to a thriving relationship with Him. Often, though, it is just a case of being busy, and totally missing Him.
Elijah learned this lesson. After defeating the prophets of Baal, he fled into the wilderness discouraged. While on a mountainside, God came to him. Yet it was not in the whirlwind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but in a still small voice. God chose that voice to speak to Elijah. In the silence and quiet, God met with Elijah.
Sometimes, life becomes so busy we miss Him. Many times it is not filled with bad things, but simply things that take our focus from Him. Christmas is not the only time this happens. It happens every time we neglect to do what Mary did, and simply sit at His feet. What good things are keeping you from doing this? Are you taking the time to sit at the Master’s feet. If you are not, according to Christ, you are missing the “one” thing that is needful. Take time to sit at His feet this Christmas season, and then see what He would have you do. Be still, and know that He is God.
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