- Pilar Christian Community Church
- ” Where every person matters but God matters most!
There are many distractions in our modern world. You need only go to a cafe or restaurant and look around, and you will see plenty of evidence: couples sitting opposite each other both busy on their phones; mums with young children scrolling through Facebook while the children play around. We all know that there are schoolchildren playing games on their phones in lessons, families sitting in front of the tv or an Xbox in the evenings instead of interacting with each other.
Of course, there have always been distractions around, but now they seem to be instantly available with the advent of mobile phones and the internet. These things certainly have value in their correct time and place, but the problem is we can so easily be distracted from the important things in life by concentrating on the unimportant. We have forgotten, or maybe unlearnt, how to be still and focussed and rest.
In the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 v 38-42 we read that Martha was busy preparing food to serve to Jesus (and probably his disciples), and was annoyed that Mary, her sister, instead of helping, was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to his teaching. When she complained to Jesus his reply was, ‘Martha, Martha, 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.’ (v41-42 NIV)
Was Jesus saying that Martha should not have been serving but should have been sitting at his feet with Mary? In that case they would have had no dinner, or a very late one. That we are called to serve others is mentioned many times in the Bible, so that was surely not his point. However, anxious, distracted service is not what Jesus wants from us.
What was the better thing that Mary had chosen? She surely knew that there were guests to be fed. But maybe he was saying that Mary was at peace, resting and listening to Jesus. Martha, on the other hand, was not at peace, but was ‘distracted with all the preparations that had to be made’ (v 40). He was addressing the attitude of her heart. If she had been contented and serving out of humility in order to meet the physical needs of her guests, she would have quietly got on with it, rather than complaining about what Mary was doing.
Whatever we are doing for Jesus whether it is helping in practical ways, being a witness to our neighbours and friends, listening to his word, praying or worshiping, are we doing it from a heart that is at peace and wanting to serve our master, or are we doing it with a heart of anxiety and worry, and criticism of what other people are doing? When we operate from a place of rest, it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, or not doing – we are content to do what God has asked us to do.
Lord, give me a heart at peace, free from distractions, so that I can serve you contentedly.
Pilar Christian Community Church. Calle Canalejas 3, Pilar de la Horadada. Contact: phil.molloypccc@gmail.com English Service at 11am every Sunday. Info at: pilarchurch.com
Lis Douglas May 2024
