Centre Church

Been thinking a lot lately about this word: BUSY

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4

Maybe it’s just fun to say “to and fro”, but I think the KJV gives us in that verse a good word picture of our world, even within the church, today. Man, are we ever busy! A few years back a marketing director frustrated with her own busy life offered her Twitter followers the chance to complete the following sentence: You might be too busy if….

Here are some of their better responses:

• Hot chocolate and pizza logs eaten at a skating rink constitute dinner. Twice a week. For four months now.
• You’ve already put in 8 hours before you take your shower.
• You have to schedule time on your calendar for a bathroom break.
• You can’t remember if you ate or just thought about eating.
• You spend so much time organizing your to-dos that you don’t have enough time to actually do them.

Any of those sound familiar? They should, because they define both this century and our culture. Well, I’m starting a rebellion and inviting you to join me. A rebellion that says quit working so hard? Not really. But I do want a different definition of hard work.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 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!”

   “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

I want to do the greater things. I want to work in my passions, learn to say no, and give and serve more. Martha was running to and fro. She was so busy trying to be the perfect hostess that she became, the Bible says, distracted. Note that Martha was doing a good thing. It would have been expensive for a widow such as Martha to entertain so many people. She was hosting a band of rebels at that, as Jesus had a price on his head. There is a good chance she was working within her passions to serve and entertain… but she became burdened. There is a point at which too much care is excess, and in this case Mary accomplished the better thing.

Work smart, not hard. That’s what my college professors used to say. Do the better things, and weed out the things that distract or bog you down. Be sure to ask the question, “Is this really necessary? Does this work of mine add anything, or might it even be getting in the way?” often and with as much objectivity as possible. The goal? That I might be able to do things like wrap gifts for Toys for Tots, attend a city wide prayer meeting, be an elf at the Polar Express, and ring the bells for the Salvation Army like I was sitting at Jesus’ feet. Unburdened, except for the love my savior has, and shares with me, for those he came to deliver.