TUESDAY
READ:
Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 5,000 young people died in car crashes in 1999. Besides the much-publicized factors of alcohol, drugs, and speeding, many accidents happened because the driver was distracted by music, passengers, or a cell phone. The danger of distraction can be fatal when we’re behind the wheel, but it can also adversely affect other areas of our lives. Distraction occurs when our attention is diverted from the primary task at hand to something less important. An intriguing spiritual example comes from Luke’s story of two sisters who welcomed Jesus into their home. While Mary sat listening to Jesus, “Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made” (Luke 10:40). She even complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t doing her part and told the Lord to tell her sister to help with the work. Instead of sending Mary to the kitchen, Jesus gently told Martha that she was “worried and upset about many things” (v.41). She had fallen prey to anxious care that was pulling her away from the most important thing—fellowship with Him. She was “distracted”—preoccupied with secondary matters and weighed down by them. Instead of joy, her work yielded anger and frustration. In our service for Christ, it is possible to become so wrapped up in the details of time and money and commitments that we forget to enjoy being with our Lord. Instead of being carefree, we stress ourselves out in working for the kingdom—something God never had in mind for us. Church, campus outreach, and Christian organizations are wonderful and necessary parts of our lives. But if we feel angry toward others who we feel aren’t pulling their weight, it may be time to check our distraction level and focus on Christ Himself, rather than on everything we’re doing, and others are not doing for Him. “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” —DM REFLECTION
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