That takes being very brave in my book! I've been reading slowly through a book called, Grace For the Good Girl ... reading it slowly, partly because my life might explode it I tried to take it all in! It needs to go on your must read list ...
Yeh. Kinda hits close to home!
This past chapter has looked at Mary and Martha. I am guessing it's no surprise to anyone that I identify with Martha ... yep, like to DO stuff ... have a hard time resting in the identity of just being. Like, instead, to be known by what I do. I think most of us do to some extent.
There are, oh so many places that got me in this chapter ... it's hard to own up to being a people/God pleaser ... and to admitting that that's not a good thing.
Just to refresh your memory ... here's how it went down ...
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “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.” (Lk 10:28-41)
The positive comment made about Martha is that she opened her home to them ... willingly and graciously.
Yah, Martha! I LOVE to have people into my home ... loved having a full dining table full of Gavin boys this weekend ... my most favorite times in life!
However ... the progression of strike outs for Martha start now ...
1. Her preparations made her distracted ... she was so concerned with what she was serving that she was neglecting WHO she was serving. Guilty!
2. She was worried and upset about MANY things ...
"... I reveal what I truly believe about God and service and my own role in His story. I see myself as irreplaceable when I think that the work won't get done unless I do it. Instead of looking to Him to provide what is needed, Martha rolled up her sleeves and took on responsibility for things that may never have been meant for her." - Emily Freeman (Grace for the Good Girl)
3. She tattled to Jesus. One of the questions raised in the book was how we would have handled it ... and I probably would have sighed LOUDLY. alot. And eventually would have made some caddy comment to Mary ... possibly in front of Jesus ... or perhaps, asked to see her in the kitchen (no doubt, she would have ignored that) ... not really a better response. Because as much as I like to people please and serve ... I like things to be fair ... and I want others to want to do that as well! If I am working ... it peeves me that others are not (when it is their job, too! I am SUCH a Martha!!)
Emily goes on to say ...
"Martha's desire to please clouded her willingness to trust. Given the choice to please God or to trust God, good girls become conflicted. We know we are supposed to trust God but trust is intangible. It almost seems passive in the face of all there is to do."
Somewhere in our heads we know that we can do absolutely NOTHING to earn salvation ... and we are ok with that. But then, very quickly, along the way, we start thinking we CAN make God like us more by what we do FOR Him. WRONG!! We know it ... we can call it out, but we still fall back into that trap over and over again. That's how human relationships work ... mostly. It's tangible. It's what we know. It's even kind of comfortable in a warped sort of way and we find ourselves trying to please.
But, BRAVE is the one who says, what I DO only will come out of a deep abiding trust that I cannot be loved any less or any more based on what I do. BRAVE is the one who chooses to trust, even as intangible as it is, rather than perform. BRAVE is the one who realizes our good will never be good enough. BRAVE is the one who can do ONE thing rather than many. Brave is the one who can admit to being a Martha. Brave is the one who lays down the drive to please ... day after day ... minute after minute.
Cause here is the answer: "If I am trying to please God, it is difficult to trust God. But when I trust God, pleasing Him is automatic."
amen and amen.
Galatians 3:3 ... I might should tattoo this to my arm ...
How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
Time to be BRAVE and not keep trying to do things on my own.
PS - this writing EVERY day is hard stuff! I obviously am not so great at self-discipline either! :-)
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