Luke 10:38-42
As Jesus and the disciples
continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a
woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat on
the floor, listening to Jesus as he talked.
But Martha was the jittery type and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing.
She
came to Jesus and said, “Sir, 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, “Martha, dear friend, you are so
upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being
concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from
her!”
The Living Bible
copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights
reserved.
For the last few years, I have worked with
children at church as a Sunday school teacher and VBS assistant. Now
that Timothy, Zola and Nathan are in school, I also volunteer in their
classrooms. I never lost my love for teaching – or children…but as I
work with children nowadays, I am reminded of an incredibly critical
objective – to keep the main thing the main thing!
What does
this mean? As I look at the children in each classroom, I see little
minds ready to be filled with wisdom and knowledge. But more
importantly, I see little hearts that need to be filled with love…the
love of Jesus - and my own. On any given day, we have no clue what kids
bring to the classroom. Some are foster children who may have been
shuffled from home to home. Some are living in dysfunctional families
with parents who argue constantly or have mountains of problems that
fill the home with stress and strife. Some have special needs –
physically and mentally - while others just have trouble fitting in with
their peers.
Some are brilliant thinkers…or are highly creative
and need lots of stimulation to nurture their gifts, while others
struggle to grasp even the simplest concepts and need extra attention
and repetition. Some are incredibly athletic and fit, while others can
barely walk a straight line or dribble a ball.
The bottom line is
that each and every child comes hungry for love and attention…for
someone to meet them right where they are in that moment. And if we
miss this as teachers/leaders/volunteers, we have missed the most
important detail of the day. As I look back to the years that I was
actually a public school teacher, I wonder how many days I was more
concerned with getting all of my reports in on time - or meeting stated
goals - and I missed an opportunity to reassure a child. How many times
was I so frustrated and stressed out that I didn’t smile and offer a
kind word to a child who really needed that more than anything else?
I
cannot return to my kindergarten classroom of the 80s…but I can make a
concerted effort moving forward to meet “children” of all ages, right
where they are. We live in “Martha’s” world…but I want “Mary’s” heart!
At the end of the day, my “to-do” list may still be full. But if I hear
the voice of Jesus – and follow His lead, it won’t matter what else is
left unchecked.
Have you discovered the One Thing worth
worrying about…or are you busy with all of the little details? Don’t
miss out on the most important part of Christian discipleship. Learn to
focus on sharing Jesus with others every day – in all that you do.
Trust Him to organize your details. Ensure that the ones that truly
matter are accomplished. Are you ready to focus more on Jesus’ details
and missions than your own? Will this be the day that you get started?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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