Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
Luke 10:38-42
Our school year began with good intentions. We wanted our children to develop a love for the Lord and a joy for learning. We didn’t want to get swept into discouragement or bitterness or simply be overwhelmed. We planned to model what it looked like to live for Christ, but as task after task fell to us, and child after child pressed those buttons they know so well, we were thrust into a place like Martha, where we were at risk of losing our joy.
Jesus speaks directly to Martha in our passage, and by looking a little closer, we see three things that can help us find our way back to the good and better portion.
First: It is not enough to only welcome Jesus with joy on the first day of school
Martha invited Jesus in. She welcomed him into her house. Martha loves Jesus and she receives him joyfully, but her joy turns bitter when things don’t go her way. So bitter that the Lord found it necessary to correct Martha’s attitude.
This can happen in homeschools. Joy sometimes turns bitter when things don’t go our way. So bitter that the Lord might find it necessary to step in and correct OUR hearts. Yes, He plans to use home education in the shaping and maturing of our children. And yes, He also plans to use home education in the shaping and maturing of us.
Second: Service can be distracting and cause anxiety
It’s quite possible that Martha desired to serve the Lord well using her gift of hospitality, just as we desire to serve the Lord well as home educators. There’s nothing wrong with this heart of service. However, when service distracted Martha from the Lord, Jesus pointed out how she had taken her eyes off the good thing—which was simply being in the presence of the Lord.
We start well. But circumstance has the potential to overwhelm us. So, we dig in, and little by little, we put distance between ourselves and Jesus because we are too busy working for Him to stop and be present with Him and it makes us anxious and troubled.
Third: Jesus is always concerned with the heart
One thing is necessary, Jesus says.
It’s interesting that Jesus doesn’t tell Martha to stop cooking and serving, He simply pointed out the better portion that she had missed. He pointed out the good thing that her sister already seemed to know: We are as close to Jesus as we let ourselves be.
The application here is NOT that all Marthas need to become Marys because the world needs Marthas just like the world needs Marys. The application is examining the overflow from our hearts and answering three questions:
- Has my service to the Lord in home education moved me away from or closer to God?
- Am I so busy educating my children and scheduling their day that I fail to model what it looks like to be present with God in my day?
- Have I lost sight of the bigger picture of what God wants to accomplish through my home school and in my heart?
Whether we worship God through our service like Martha or worship Him through stillness like Mary, we can all choose the good and better portion that changing circumstances or a busy home school cannot take away from us.
Pray:
Lord, help us stop striving for more and more, to stop comparing what you’ve called us to do with what you’ve called others to do, and instead help us understand and celebrate how you have created us to worship you. Lord, we need you to help us choose the good and better portion each day and model it well, not just for the sake of those watching, but for the sake of our own hearts.
Are you in the Hamilton/Ancaster area in May? Are you considering home education? Check out the OCHEC Convention 2024 and be inspired, challenged, and encouraged as a home educator.
*I have the privilege of teaching a workshop titled: Why Do We Fight?
