What was Martha's heart intention, REALLY?ReaderBy now, hopefully you have grasped the concept that your health and wellness consists of so much more than just what we eat and how much we exercise. Part of what this might look like is creating PEACE and JOY in your home or everyday environments (even work space). Think of including all the senses and how we can set the "tone" or mood. We do this with the food we prepare (tastes & smells), creating comfort and visually pleasing spaces by keeping them clutter free and adding beautiful things that bring us joy, sounds of music, engaging conversation, and laughter. Let's consider the "sisters", Mary and Martha.Martha tends to get a bad wrap because she worked herself into a frenzy preparing for Jesus . I'm going to be REAL with you here.....My tendency is to be a Martha. BUT...... what if we can really learn from Martha?Why do you think she was doing "All The Things"? What was Martha’s heart intention, REALLY? I believe that her heart was to truly SERVE the Lord.As a homeschooling mom who also works at home I often get caught up in and wrestle with the thoughts of "I just don't have time to do all the things" , or " I can't do it all", or "I don't feel productive", just as Martha did. The truth is the enemy likes to distract us with lies. The Lord has repeatedly brought to the verses in Luke 10:41-42 when Jesus talks to Martha. "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.” I don't believe that Jesus was rebuking her actions or heart to serve. But he was rebuking the heart of frustration that she had by pointing out her sister's heart to be at the feet of Jesus. I think we can get so caught up in our tasks, even if our original intention was to serve the Lord and our people, therefore taking us away from the "feet" or the heart of God! I'm so thankful that the Lord is still gentle with us in those situations, brings us out of our own yuck thoughts, and back to His Word!Here is where she went wrong (and if I'm honest where I go wrong)...... She allowed herself to get worked up and frazzled by the details (uhem, guilty). However I think her heart was in the right place. I believe Jesus was correcting her attitude and not what she was actually doing. Martha's idea of worship towards Jesus was clearly acts of service in the capacity of creating the environment and providing for his physical needs. She just needed a little mind shift and "attitude adjustment".My point is this….. As Nurturers of our home, with the desire to create an environment of peace and joy in our home, we can emulate the example of BOTH Mary and Martha; showing a heart of SERVICE and WORSHIP!Trust me, don’t think for a minute that I am suggesting that this is an easy balance. It takes practice of keeping our thoughts and emotions in check. Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson here through Martha. But HE does it with grace and compassion. Can you relate to this perspective about Martha? I hope this blesses you friend.Wellness blessings to you Friend,Melissa K. MacGregor Certified Nutrition Coach, Life Coach, & Wellness Mentor "We as nurturers of our home create a family culture of healthy rhythms and habits that influence generations. Being in God's Word is one of those important and healthy rhythms." |
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