Fruits of Adoration

Now as they were traveling along, He 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 words. 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 NASB)

How often I hear this story, or references to it. It's one that told and retold. The action-focused Martha, who would very likely serve Jesus until her feet fell off. The Christ-adoring Mary, who wants nothing more than to sit at her Teacher's feet for eternity. I've heard the story, and heard the sermons on it, and have read, over and over again, the words "Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." But how often do I tend to relate more to Martha. I don't think that this is something unique to me. Especially knowing me. If you know me, you might know that I am not type A. I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum, in fact. I enjoy so many things more than productivity; it's for sure not my top priority. Often, I feel like this passage of scripture is typically targeted at people who serve, serve, serve all the time, and who see good, healthy progress as the end-all. But I have a hard time placing myself in that category. And I genuinely love sitting and marveling in adoration of God. All this to say, if I can feel this scripture applies to me, it's most likely not strictly meant to be heard by the "type-A" Christ-followers. I can say with full conviction that I too am sometimes much more Martha-like than Mary-like. 

This season I'm in currently is one in which "productivity" is somewhat vague. I thought that I'd be better at that ambiguity than I am finding myself to be, and to be honest, it's been hard! It's been hard to know what to do with myself when I don't know exactly how to structure my days in the most effective way to work for and glorify God. I've spent much more time stressing about how I need to be serving the Lord than I have been taking advantage of the slow season and admiring Him. 

So no, I don't think this is a struggle unique to me. Those of us who truly want to serve Jesus with our lives, I think it applies to even more. Because, even when we've been redeemed and transformed, we can still be control freaks. Or prideful in our own abilities and gifts. Or we might be past the hurdle of wanting to store up treasures here on Earth, but still stuck on the hurdle of thinking we can store up praise and glory for ourselves by our great works. We sometimes fall into thinking that God needs our service more than He desires our adoration. We forget that He and He alone is the softener of hearts, the opener of eyes, the changer of the world, and that He invites us to be a part of His work not out of necessity, but to blow us away with His awesomeness! An awesomeness that can be hard to see if we're more focused on the job than on Him. 

Martha loved Jesus. Her family was one that truly followed Him, and saw Him do amazing things... like raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead! She was not wrong in wanting to serve Him, because Jesus truly is worthy of that. But what's better... all service and little time for admiring Him, or all adoration and little time for serving? As Jesus said, Mary chose the good part, and it shall not be taken away from her! I think we're called to do both, serving God with all our lives and worshipping God with all our heart. Isn't the first and greatest commandment to "love the Lord your God," and the second commandment to "love your neighbor"? We can't do the second without the first. Service to God, loving our neighbors, can't these be selfish and self-seeking if not spurred into existence by adoring God? We want blessings from God, we want love from others. Our productivity can so easily be related to Jesus, but is actually for ourselves. But in loving God first, we are inspired, filled up, and fall in even deeper adoration. Then we can serve Him, but not to reap rewards. Then we can love others, but not because we're desperate for love ourselves. Our productivity for the Lord really only works if it comes from Him in the first place! 

If Martha understood this, I don't think she would completely stop serving Him. She would be able to worship Him while serving, instead of becoming upset by her sister's admiration of Jesus. If I understood this, I don't think I'd struggle in times of ambiguity and slow seasons, instead worshipping Him with every breath. Instead of working by my own power, the fruit that comes from adoration would spill forth, and I'd know that my value comes not from the work I am doing, but from the One I love.