Have you ever noticed that there is a wonderful dynamic tension in this world of ours? – and ‘tension’s the right word. I mean, it’s good for us to be busy and under pressure to measure up, but at the same time we’re at high risk when we do so for feeling overwhelmed and under-qualified. Maybe you know the feeling. Happy and busy is wonderful; miserable and depressed is not. I guess it’s like there’s this path of perfect balance leading to exaltation, and the goal of life is not to be pulled off either side. So how do we do this? How do we do all that’s asked of us each day without losing the joy that makes it all worth doing? Well, maybe this story from the life of the Savior will help.

During the Savior’s ministry, He and His disciples enter the small village of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. The Master goes to the home of his close friends, Martha and Mary. Immediately, Martha sets to work preparing to feed her distinguished guest, but Mary stays close to the Savior, sitting at His feet and listening to Him teach. Well, after a time, the burden of the work becomes a little too much for Martha. Perhaps a little put out and impatient, she comes to the Savior and she says to Him, “… Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that (she …) she help me.” (Luke 10:40) In other words it sounds like she’s saying, “Lord, don’t you care that she’s left me to do all the work? Tell her to get up and help me.”

Tenderly, the Master replies, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Now notice it: He never said that what Martha was doing was bad, only that what Mary was doing was more important at the time.

Most of us are like Martha. Our time and concerns are taken with the busy work of life, and in a sense that’s the way the Lord intended it. But, note this: It is critical that we make the time every day to sit at the Master’s feet – if you will – and be taught. Those moments of time we spend with God, praying and in the scriptures at the feet of the Savior, by quantity they may be small, but by quality they make all the rest of life worth living.