At Christmastime, I think of a time not so long ago, when the slower pace of life seemed to draw us closer to the true spirit of Christmas.
We had less technology but were richer for it. Our families gathered together and talked, ate and laughed while playing games. In my childhood home, our only distraction was a dog's wagging tail occasionally scattering marbles from a Chinese checkers board. In this reflection, I thought about the character of Jesus and something occurred to me- throughout the scriptures, Jesus was never in a hurry. There are no recorded scriptures about Jesus rushing to or from anywhere. Although sometimes his disciples seemed in a hurry, Jesus was available to people as he stopped, listened, or healed. And though he would often retreat from the crowds to pray, he would always return with a calm teachable spirit. One such example is his visit to the home of sisters Mary and Martha.
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)
I have to be honest. I always thought Martha got a bad rap. This is probably because I can relate most with her. I am certain the present-day Martha would be the one making sure the turkey comes out of the oven in just enough time to bake the sweet potatoes and brown the dinner rolls. I believe Martha would be the one hanging the white twinkle lights and cutting springs of rosemary for pretty place settings. In my mind, she would be fluffing the pillows, checking the music playlist, and making sure everyone has plenty to eat and drink.
As I’ve read this verse over the years, I always thought Jesus was a bit harsh with Martha. After all, she was the one making sure everything was just so, while her sister seemed oblivious to all that needed to be done. Over time I started to realize what I think Jesus was saying to Martha. It wasn’t that Martha was doing anything necessarily wrong; I think it was her hurried spirit and her direction of focus that Jesus gently rebuked that day. Many of us rush around completing tasks, and in our frenzy we not only make ourselves unavailable, we miss out on the peace that comes when we move through life unhurried. Most importantly, we miss opportunities to stop and focus on the greatest gift of all and the only thing that really matters– Jesus.
Prayer for today: Lord, help us slow down to remember the peace and joy of Christmastime, when in your great love, you gave to us the greatest gift of all, our Savior. Amen.