The times we are passing through just now provide an opportunity to reflect on what is really important in our lives. There will be some things we saw previously as important, but now we want to give them a lesser place in our priorities.
By contrast, some people and activities may have been neglected and now we are in a place where we want to readjust our schedules to reflect different preferences as to what really matters. In the Gospel of Luke there is a very brief summary account of a time when Jesus spent some precious hours with friends He greatly valued. Notice what took place on that visit in Luke 10:38-42.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ 41 ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’
It is not a complex story. It could easily have happened in many of our homes today. Some of us by temperament prioritise ‘being’ – reflecting and meditating on things. Others, by contrast, see so much that needs to be done and get frustrated at others who don’t see the need to give a hand. The ‘doer’ thinks that if everyone was like the other person who appears to be more chilled about life that nothing would ever get done! There can be truth in such a thought! However, we can use busyness as a means to avoid thinking about issues we ought to address. This choice is not sustainable over the long-run.
In Luke 10:38-42 Jesus is pictured enjoying some precious time off with some of His closest friends in a village near Jerusalem called Bethany. In that home were two sisters Martha and Mary. They both loved Jesus to be in their home, but by temperament they were so different. Martha the activist by nature wanted the home to be presentable and the dinner that day one of the best she could produce. Mary by contrast simply wanted to spend time with Jesus. In this time of crisis some of us may be under intense pressure and working longer hours than we would like. Others, by contrast, unable to do our regular activities have much more time on our hands. We will learn more about ourselves as we experience our new daily routines.
Most of all though, we must remember that Jesus placed ‘being’ ahead of ‘doing’ in our priorities; who we are and the character qualities we are developing is even more important than the things we do. By all means let us do the best we can to make this world a better place, but may we never neglect the priority of time with God. To give out to others requires us to recharge our ‘spiritual batteries’ so as to have something to give. We neglect that at our peril over the longer-term.
A song for reflection by John Greenleaf Whittier Dear Lord and Father of Mankind