Bullets for the Battle

Choosing the “Good Part”

It’s again time for … the days of family vacations, trips to Grandma’s and trips to the lake. One of the typically recurring questions asked on every family trip by at least one of the children at least half a dozen times is, “Where are we?” It’s not too difficult to recall the look on the child’s face as he awakens from his backseat nap only to realize that he doesn’t know where he is.

This issue of were we are seems to be very pertinent in these days. How often do we hear the question asked, “Where are you going to be if I need to get in touch with you?” Most of us tend to reel off an answer rather quickly feeling assured that we know where we are and where we’re going, and we don’t have time to wait around answering rhetorical questions. Instead, we need to run the laundry, pick up the kids, go to the bakery, run by the doctor’s office, prepare the talk for the civic club and, after it is all finished, take a moment to relax before we start again.

We rarely stop to think that this “rhetorical question” that we let slip so often should be subjected to greater scrutiny. In chapter 10, verses 38-42 of the Gospel of Luke, Luke gives us a good picture of where we ought to be! The passage begins with Jesus being received into the home of two sisters. One sister, Martha, scurries about attempting to make preparations for Jesus. We can imagine her trying so hard to get everything just so right and just so good. Meanwhile, Mary, Martha’s sister, has decided to sit down at the feet of Jesus. Martha continues her frantic preparation and then in verse 40 we catch a glimpse of a very interesting occurrence, one that each of us must see about once a day. We catch a glimpse of anxiety in Martha as she gets mad at Mary for not helping to get all these “important preparations” taken care of. She calls out to Jesus trying to get at Mary through Him. At this point, Jesus answers Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, but only a few things are necessary, really only one; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Where are you? If you aren’t seated at the feet of Christ, then you’re probably like Martha – “worried and bothered about so many things” when only one thing is really necessary. You’re probably spending so much time trying to do right that you don’t have time to be right.

Where are you? If you feel like you’re on a roller coaster that seems to have no end of it, if you feel like you’re chasing rabbits in the desert, then STOP! Remember where you ought to be! If you already have a seat at the feet of Christ, stay put! If you aren’t at the feet of Christ, come and take a seat; there is more than enough room for everyone!