Let me ask you...what are you worried or distracted by? What things in your life keep you from simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing the Word of God? Do you believe that you can become too distracted? Well....you can...and I want to talk about two people with differing views on life. Our first person is Martha....the elder sister....who has invited Jesus to come to her house and eat and rest. The second person is Mary...the younger sister....who simply wants to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him. Well...it is not long before Martha becomes very upset that Mary is not helping. Martha wants that meal to be perfect....because it is for Jesus....and she becomes so focused on the preparation....that she loses sight of the guest. So Martha goes to Jesus and whines that she is doing it all by herself.....sound familiar? Jesus tells her....that she should not be so worried and bothered by so many things....that is only one thing necessary....and Mary has chosen that one thing. She chose to listen to the Word of Christ.....to be with Christ. The rest is merely fluff. Clearly Martha has lost her perspective and the meaning of her work. What Martha did was not wrong...she wanted to prepare a nice meal....but she did it for the wrong reasons. So often in life we lose our purpose. We are busy people.....with work, hobbies, and family. All of this stuff causes us to lose focus on the one person that can give our lives meaning.
Ok, so deviating from my story a bit....when 24 hours in a day are not enough, think about this....
A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. the pepples rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed once more that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous, "Yes!"
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. the students laughed.
"Now, " said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
"The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car." "The sand is everything else - the small stuff." "If you put the sand in the jar first, " he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life."
"If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you." "Pay attention to all the things that are critical to your happiness."
"Play with your children, take time to get medical check-ups, take your someone special to dinner, play another 18 holes, remember there will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled, "I am so glad you asked." "It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there is always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
We are so caught up with the action of doing....we are a people that feel liek we need to be doing something to be affective....that we lose the joy of simply being. We need to have a purpose in living. Mary and Martha had purpose....one went to get the meal ready....the other....to be with Christ. One was intent on doing....the other intent on being. Which direction have you chosen? Christmas is a time to focus on being. A toast to all my fellow Martha's in this world...take some time out this holiday season....and enjoy....stop and smell the Christmas trees!
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