I wrote a devotional a couple of months ago for Mariners High School Ministry's blog and I thought I'd share it here for your enjoyment:
Group projects.
Some of you love them, some of you loathe them. And when we are doing group projects there's always the few stereotypical characters who are in every group:
- The self proclaimed leader. They're the one who's instantly in charge.
- Then there's the clueless one. The one who's always asking questions and never has any idea of what's going on.
- Next there's the one who just doesn't care. They realize someone else is either doing all of the work or is in charge, so they check out.
- Lastly, there's the one who's overly excited about the project. The one who will do all of the work simply because they want to.
I can be all of these stereotypes in different situations, so I understand the frustration that comes with all of these positions. Most of the time though, I have this feeling that I'm carrying the whole project on my back because I'm putting so much effort into the project. It's stressful. And similar to this, in Luke 10:38-41, Martha is stressed getting everything prepared for Jesus.
"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 named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he had 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 all 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.'"
In this passage, Jesus tells Martha that Mary's chosen what can't be taken away from her, which I find very important. I feel that often we complain and call out for more help like Martha in moments, like group projects, where we are annoyed with being left to on everything ourselves. Someday, the grade you got on that project won't matter. Things like that are all things that can be taken away.
My challenge for you is to take the time that you find yourself stressing and sit at the Lord's feet and dwell in his word instead.
Much Love,
Delaney Miller