This morning, I was reading a section in Luke that recounts an event where Jesus visited two sisters named Mary and Martha. In the account, Mary was praised by Jesus because she had her priorities straight. When faced with competing priorities (i.e. listen to Jesus teach or clean the house), Mary chose wisely. The account is as follows:
“Now as they were traveling along, He [Jesus] entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42)
Hard work is a Christian ethic rooted in Scripture (Exo 20:9; 2 Thess 3:10-12; 1 Tim 5:18), but even good work can be a distraction from learning and living God’s will. There’s a simple truth that we cannot live what we do now know, and learning God’s Word necessarily precedes living His will. One of the strategies of the devil is to get us to focus on anything and everything to the exclusion of God and His Word. I must confess I fall into this trap on occasion, whether at home, work, or driving on the highway. There’s always some pressure that weighs on my soul, and when I allow it to govern my attitude and actions, it brings out the worst in me and the result is that I behave poorly toward others. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to apologize to family, coworkers, or friends. But in spite of my many failures, I keep coming back to Scripture, for it enriches my life and stabilizes my soul. Without it, I know nothing of God or the wealth of blessings and promises He provides. When I live by faith, it blesses me and pleases the Lord, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6).
Sadly, it is possible to hear God’s Word and not benefit from it, because we allow worry to dominate our souls, or we pursue wealth or pleasure above God’s will. Jesus addressed this possibility in the parable of the sower and the fields, where He said, “The one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Matt 13:22), “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mar 4:18-19), and “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14).
Let’s not be those who allow worry, riches, or the pleasures of life to choke the Word of God so that it bears no fruit in our lives, both within and without. Rather, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16). And when the pressures of life begin to mount, be wise and cast “all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7), and “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phi 4:6), and “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” (Heb 13:5)
Dr. Steven R. Cook
Related Articles:
- Learning to Live by Faith
- Bible Promises that Strengthen our Soul
- Walking with God
- The Faithfulness of the Lord
- The Lord is My Shepherd