Got this painting from
the internet – appreciate being able to use it but do not know who painted it …
it was on a web page danielim.com
These words of Jesus to Martha are usually wrapped up in
advice about being too busy to spend quality time with the Lord. Perhaps Jesus was saying that he would be
happy with just one dish, course or plate of food? It does not stretch the spiritual mind to see
rather more in our Lord’s words and application on several levels.
A local church can be a busy thing. There can be all kinds of projects and
meetings going on and a faithful few tiring themselves out trying to keep it
all going. The motives are good but
sometimes misguided. So much effort is
put into special events to attract the world to hear the Gospel. We see this as casting our nets, putting the
right bait out in order to catch some fish!
Then there are the many events designed to keep the congregation happy
and interested in attending meetings so that they will hear God’s Word and Pray
together. All these things have a place
in the day to day life of a local church but they can become too dominant and
take the place of the main purpose!
A family is a precious thing. Through a single year there will be birthday
celebrations, days out, special times together, a holiday may be? These things should be products of love, not
an attempt to keep the family together!
If that were the case then all the efforts will never be enough. The simple day to day being together,
belonging and sharing must be the greater thing. Our human tendency to materialism easily
intrudes on this. Where many material
things are available a family can become fragmented – as the Scripture says – “Everyone
to his own tent!” Children sit in
solitude with their own TV, or games console.
Meals are taken alone. Conversation
is limited and relationships can be weakened.
The Bible teaches that the human condition tends to selfishness and
pride. A family can help moderate this
and bring empathy and real concern for one’s “brother” and “neighbour”.
Our world, we are told, has become a global village. Often we are encouraged to think of neighbours
as people thousands of miles away who we do not know and have only seen through
two-dimensional means. We help these
neighbours through charitable giving.
Yet, and yet, we have real neighbours, real “brethren”, who have
needs. I will suggest an extreme
example: we may have genuine sympathy for AIDS victims in Africa somewhere but
treat AIDS victims in our neighbourhood as pariahs, as outcasts! What I am trying to point out is that the
emphasis on personal fulfilment, the way we relate with celebrities and
imaginary film heroes can desensitise us to the reality of belonging in a real
society and having real parents, brothers, sisters and neighbours.
Perhaps we are being swept along in a turmoil of busy-ness
in the hope that this will buy stability for our family? Perhaps the same is true for our local
church? In times of lucidity, we realise that, like Martha, we are too busy to
do the one thing that is needed? I
believe that Jesus taught that this one thing was love for him and for one
another. I wonder, do we really believe
that love can achieve what money cannot?
Proverbs 15:16 and 17
Better a little with the fear of
the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf
with hatred.
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