I absolutely love having people in my home. I love cooking the meals. I love making everyone feel comfortable, making sure they have everything they need. I have done my job well when I see people relax and enjoy a good meal I’ve prepared.
Most of the time I take things in stride. I prepare as much as possible ahead of time. If we are going to entertain a party, I make sure I have my help lined out, and they know exactly what to do.
I keep my home clean just in case someone decides to drop in. I want people to be at home, at rest, at peace when they visit. I enjoy good conversation that lasts beyond the meal, and the laughter of my guests is music to my ears.
I do admit there are times when I get stressed out about entertaining. Most of the time I can roll with things because there’s always a plan B, C, and D rolling around in my head. The time when I get stressed is when a large group of people show up, and I haven’t had time to prepare.
For example, my brother brought a group of men to the house unannounced. Don’t get me wrong. I can get it done, but one of the men he brought home was really important. My brother actually answers to him, so when he showed up with this group of men, I freaked out.
I do a quick scan of what’s in my kitchen. I have some fish, olive oil, wine. Thankfully, I had just made a couple of loaves of bread, but I’m going to need more. I make a list of the things I need in order to fill the stomachs of my guest. Then I make a list of what I need to get done. I do a quick head count of who will be staying for dinner. I need to run the market.
I start working on preparing the fish, and I look out the window to see my little sister sitting down with the men listening.
I try to discreetly get her attention, but she ignores me. I know she heard me. I know it. She knows it. I know she saw me waving to her, but is she moving? NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!.
I’m making all kind of noise in the kitchen because I’m getting angrier by the minute. I need help, and she won’t get off her behind and help me.
I butchered the fish I was working on. That made me mad. I wash my hands and head outside.
“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Go tell her to give me a hand.” I’m sure Lazarus was shocked at my candor, but I was fed up with Mary just sitting there while I did all the work.
“Martha, Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha’s story can be found in Luke 10:38-41.
Isn’t this an abrupt end to the story? Don’t you want to know Martha’s reaction after Jesus told the lay of the land? Can you believe she talked to Jesus like that? GIRLFRIEND!!
In my past, I’ve been a Martha. Personally, I would have been taken aback, maybe stepped back to assess what to do. I assure you I would not have expected this response from Jesus. Still I wonder, did Martha sit and listen, or did she continue on serving but with her attitude in check?
So many times us “Type A” personalities have to be in charge and in control. We have our lists. Our lists have lists. We know what needs to be done and who needs to do it. If something goes wrong, it’s okay because we are prepared with plan B, C, or D. There are times, however, when things go wrong, and it throws us all in a tizzy. We are not pleasant people to be around when we default to this mode of operating.
Martha failed to see she was serving Jesus by serving others. Her heart had become distracted by the things she needed to do but more importantly by what her sister wasn’t doing. Martha was keeping score of how much work she was doing, and how much Mary was NOT doing, and it was not equal. Rarely are things equal.
Regardless of where we serve or who we serve, we need to make sure our hearts are in the right place. We need to make sure our focus is on Christ and kingdom work and not about the weight of the responsibility. If serving Christ is our focus, then God will get the glory whether things work out or they fall apart. He’s in it all.
In Her Sandals is my attempt to slip on the sandals of the women of the Bible and wonder what they might have thought, heard, smelled, and felt. In no way do I attempt to add to Scripture or take anything away from it. It is my goal to show today’s women they really aren’t that different from those in the Bible, and if God loved them, He can love you where you are today.