The Better Part

ONE OF THE GREATEST HAZARDS OF THE BEACH AND ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF THE OCEAN IS GETTING CAUGHT IN THE STRONG GRASP OF A RIP CURRENT.

AT LEAST 80% OF ALL OCEAN RESCUES INVOLVE RIP CURRENTS THAT PRODUCE NEARLY 100 FATALITIES EACH YEAR. THESE STRONG CHANNELS OF WATER CAN DRAG SWIMMERS AWAY FROM THE SHORE WITH ALARMING SPEED AND STRENGTH.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR A CHRISTIAN. WE, AS BELIEVERS, DON’T HAVE TO SWIM IN THE OCEAN TO FEEL AND EXPERIENCE THAT KIND OF STRENGTH, POWER, AND “PULL” OF A SPIRITUAL RIP CURRENT.

WE FACE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER EACH AND EVERY DAY THAT TUGS, PULLS, AND LURES US AWAY JUST LIKE A RIP CURRENT OUT IN THE OCEAN THAT ACT IN POWERFUL WAYS TO DRAW US AND PULL US AWAY FROM GOD.

AVOIDING THE DISASTER OF A RIP CURRENT IS MUCH LIKE OUR CHRISTIAN JOURNEY. EXPERTS SAY THE FIRST STEP IS TO REMAIN CALM AND DON’T PANIC BECAUSE A RIP CURRENT WON’T ALWAYS PULL YOU “UNDER” THE WATER BUT WILL PULL YOU “AWAY FROM” THE SHORE. I THINK THE SAME OF OUR PERSONAL ISSUES WE FACE.

IF WE ARE HONEST WITH OURSELVES, MOST OF OUR ISSUES, CONCERNS, AND PROBLEMS WE FACE ARE NEVER USUALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO “TAKE US DOWN,” BUT JUST STRONG ENOUGH TO PULL US AND DRAG US AWAY FROM A PROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

MARTHA, IN OUR GOSPEL LESSSON, IS BEING PULLED AWAY BY A “RIP CURRENT” OF DISTRACTIONS AND DUTIES. IN VERSE 40, IT SAYS, “MARTHA WAS DISTRACTED BY ALL THE PREPARATIONS THAT HAD TO BE MADE.” THE HEBREW VERB “DISTRACTED” MEANS “TO BE DRAWN AWAY” WHICH IS LIKE THE POWER OF THE RIP CURRENT.

MARTHA WAS CAUGHT UP IN MAKING PREPARATIONS AND GOT PULLED IN BY ALL THE NECESSITIES OF FEEDING THE GUESTS IN HER HOME. SHE DIDN’T EVEN FULLY COMPREHEND THAT THE SON OF GOD, JESUS CHRIST, WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE AMONGST HER.

MARTHA REPRESENTS THOSE AREAS OF OUR LIFE WHERE WE HAVE SETTLED FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN WHAT IS BEST FOR US. SHE REPRESENTS THOSE THINGS THAT DISTRACT US, EAT UP OUR TIME AND PULL US AWAY FROM OUR FIRST-LOVE, JESUS CHRIST. SHE SHOWS US THE RESULTS OF FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON “DOING” RATHER THAN “BEING” BY FIXATING ON “STATISTICS” RATHER THAN “RESULTS.”

AS MARTHA WAS BUSY IN THE KITCHEN, WE MUST NOT BE TOO BUSY WITH WORK, LEISURE, HOBBIES, OR OTHER JOB AND FAMILY COMMITMENTS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES DISTRACTED AND DRAWN AWAY FROM OUR TIME WITH GOD IN SCRIPTURE STUDY, PRAYER, WORSHIP, AND REFLECTION.

WE STRIVE TO KEEP OUR LIFE IN ITS PROPER ORDER AND CORRECT PERSPECTIVE. MATTHEW 10:37-38, “IF YOU LOVE YOUR FATHER OR MOTHER MORE THAN YOU LOVE ME, YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE; OR IF YOU LOVE YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER MORE THAN ME, YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE. IF YOU REFUSE TO TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME, YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE.

JESUS DOESN’T MEAN TO HATE WITH “LITERAL HATE.” JESUS WANTS OUR LOVE FOR EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES, INCLUDING OUR FAMILY, TO PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE LOVE WE HAVE AND EXPRESS FOR GOD THE FATHER. MARTHA REMAINS DESTRACTED AND MISSES OUT ON WHAT JESUS HAS FOR HER.

MARY, INSTEAD, IS SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS. SHE KNEW HAVING JESUS WITH THEM WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY THAT DEMANDED ITS PREFERENCE OVER OTHER THINGS. LISTENING TO THE WORDS OF JESUS WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRYING TO PULL OFF A VERY EXCEPTIONAL AND ELABORATE MEAL.

IN VERSE 39, WE SEE THAT MARY “SAT” AT THE FEET OF JESUS. THE WORD “SAT” IMPLIES “PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION.” SHE PUT HER TOTAL FOCUS ON WHAT JESUS WAS TEACHING. HER MIND WAS COMPOSED AND HER HEART ATTUNED TO ACCEPT SUCH TEACHING.

WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO EAT FOR DINNER. MARY CHOSE TO ABIDE WITH JESUS AND TO IMPROVE HER RELATIONSHIP AND HERSELF.

WE REMEMBER JESUS’ SUCH TEACHINGS IN JOHN 15:4-5, “REMAIN IN ME, AND I WILL REMAIN IN YOU. FOR A BRANCH CANNOT PRODUCE FRUIT IF IT IS SEVERED FROM THE VINE, AND YOU CANNOT BE FRUITFUL UNLESS YOU REMAIN IN ME. YES, I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. THOSE WHO REMAIN IN ME, AND I IN THEM, WILL PRODUCE MUCH FRUIT. FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.”

JESUS SAID “APART” FROM ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING. AGAIN, THE IMAGRY OF THE RIP-CURRENT CATCHING US AND DRAGGING US AWAY FROM HAVING A CLOSE, PERSONAL, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND FROM BEING ABLE TO SEW AND HARVEST A FRUITFUL MINISTRY TO GOD’S GLORY.

YES, INDEED, MARY CHOSE “THE BETTER PART.” THIS STORY OF MARTHA AND MARY SHOWS US THAT EXPERIENCING GOD’S LOVE AND PRESENCE IS THE MOST REWARDING, HEALING, EMPOWERING AND INSPIRING THING WE CAN DO.