Incidentals and essentials

I have a habit of getting really busy.  Really, really busy.  Let me illustrate the point for you by giving you an outline of my current schedule, which is an easy par for the course in my life.  I work an average of 50-55 hours a week, I have Korean class twice a week, I lead a Bible study as well as Sunday morning worship, I go to dance classes, I play ultimate frisbee once or twice a week, and I volunteer, all while trying to getting a teaching certification, helping plan a friend's wedding, and preparing for grad school.

Please don't misunderstand me.  Such a busy schedule is not a source of pride for me.  I have packed my life so full of things to do, that there is no room for any aberration from the schedule.  I don't have time for a change of plans, or for spontaneity, or sometimes even to help someone in need.  

I wonder, if the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 had been as busy as I, would he have stopped to help?  If he had had jam-packed appointments or important meetings, would he have taken the time out of his busy schedule to help someone who needed him?  Some people think that it is their responsibility to help everyone in the world.  They never say no, they take on too many projects and responsibilities, they spread themselves too thin, and eventually, while trying to help everyone, they end up effectively helping no one.  

We are not called to help everyone in the world.  But we are called to help the people that God places in our paths.  Do you have enough wiggle room in your schedule to be able to help the people that God wants you to help?  Are you listening hard enough through the noise of your jam-packed schedule to even hear God telling you that He wants to speak through you into someone else's life?  Don't let your schedule get so full with incidentals that you miss out on the essentials.

Luke 10:25-37

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

   ²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

 ²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

   ²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

 ²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 ³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

   ³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

 ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

   Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Finding the balance

This past weekend we've been remodeling our kitchen.  We're tearing out kitchen cabinets and reinstalling new ones, replacing tiles, pulling out moldy sheetrock and insulation and putting in fresh materials, the whole shebang.  It's quite an undertaking.

It reminded me of Martha in the story of Mary and Martha in the book of Luke.  Although I haven't been busy cleaning the house and cooking meals and entertaining all of my guests, I've still been busy doing things around the house.  And I've been enjoying it, too.  I like working on projects....and cooking, and entertaining, and even cleaning on occasion.

But there's a balance to be found.  God has called us to be good stewards of what He has given us, and to take care of those less fortunate than us.  But there are also times when He just wants us to sit at His feet and listen, to drink in His teachings and wisdom, like Mary did.  He wants us to "be still, and know that He is God" (Psalm 46:10).  One thing that I've learned about life....it's so easy to miss the forests for the trees.  We can get so busy and wrapped up in God's creation, that we forget about the Creator.

So here is today's challenge: take 10 minutes out of your day today, and sit at the feet of Jesus.  Talk to Him.  Tell Him about your problems and worries and concerns and hopes and joys and plans.  But also listen to Him.  Learn from Him.  Let Him refresh your soul and renew your mind.  God wants to have a dialog with us, not be on the receiving end of a monolog.  He is neither Santa Clause nor a genie, and He does not exist to supply our laundry list of desires.  He wants to teach us and fill us with His spirit.  That is what's best, and if we choose that, it will certainly "not be taken away from us."

Luke 10:38-42

 ³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ 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 the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
   ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”