Does Doing Keep You From Being?

Now that it is mid-November, many of us are beginning to plan those annual holiday gatherings. I think more so than other times of the year, during the holiday season we want those gatherings to be extra special: warm and cozy, comfy and inviting, filled with wonderful and lasting memories.

Not only is there much time and effort put into the preparations, but once the guests arrive, we are constantly “doing,” wanting everything to be perfect, like a scene straight out of a Hallmark movie, and we never really get to sit and just “be” with the guests. It is only after everyone has left that we find out from our spouse that the neighbor’s kid got accepted into one of the military academies and the guy down the street, who recently moved in, has cancer. Hospitality toward of our guests is not a bad thing. Just sometimes it causes us to not be able to savor the enjoyment of spending time with those whom we care about. We often put so much time and effort into planning and executing our holiday gatherings that we sometimes end up being too exhausted to really enjoy the holiday season.

We often do the same thing with Jesus. We are so busy “doing” for Jesus that we fail to simply “be” with Jesus. There is a story in the Bible that you might be familiar with. It is found in Luke 10:38-42. Jesus stops by the house of his friends, sisters Mary and Martha. The text tells us that Martha was distracted by all the preparations that needed to be made while Mary simply sat on the couch and listened to Jesus. When Martha showed some displeasure with her sister for not helping with the work, Jesus gave an answer that very likely surprised her – “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.” (vv.41-42)

What is Jesus saying? He was giving Mary and Martha, and is giving us today, a lesson on priorities. Neither sister was necessarily wrong in her response. Jesus is not teaching the value of a contemplative life compared to a life of action, but instead He is teaching that serving Him and those around us should not fill our lives to the extent that we fail to spend time with Him. We cannot let our “doing” get in the way of our “being.”

We must learn to give our Lord and His Word priority, even over loving service. To fellowship with Jesus, we might have to leave some things undone, even good and worthy things. Jesus is more interested in our undivided hearts than He is in our big acts of sacrifice.

So, today, I ask, are you busier doing for Jesus than you are being with Jesus?

And we should take a lesson from cats – this holiday season, do not let your doing keep you from being.

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