There it is again. The Mary/Martha passage.

I know it. You probably know it too. I’m tempted to move right past it.

Except. I know it is meant for me.
Again.😳

“Kim, Kim, you are (still) worried about many things.”

Still.

How I wish I was more like Mary, and less like Martha, in this encounter with Jesus (Luke 20:38-42).

But I still tend to worry about many things.

Oh, I’m getting better about letting the dishes pile up and seeing the sunsets; but I still find myself worrying about many things…or, in my case, many people.

Well, especially three PARTICULAR people, who happen to be my kids. (And now, I’ve added my sweet son-in-law to this list.)

The voice of my sweet friend and mentor, Karen, who is now with Jesus, still rings in my ears as she would often tell me, “Kim, you can’t only be as happy as your least happy child.”

But the truth is, I still struggle with this. I still find myself worried about my kids’ “many things”.

And honestly, somehow, worrying about others seems a little more holy than worrying about myself.

But the truth is, it is still worrying.

When I look closely at this familiar passage of Scripture, one word jumps out to me today…DISTRACTED.

There was nothing wrong with Martha working hard to do good things but she had become so distracted by what she was trying to accomplish that she missed the most important thing.

In all we do, in our concern for others and especially our children, let’s don’t forget to do the most important thing.

The truth is…If I’m not spending time with the Lord in the Word and prayer, I’ll have little to give my kids but worry.

But if I am spending time with God, I can lay my burdens down.

I can cast my cares for those I love on Him and place them in His better hands. I can pray to the One who loves my kids more than I do and who sees every day they will ever live.

He is the One who will equip me with wisdom to know things like when to speak and when to be quiet when it comes to my adult children.

He is the well from which I need to be filled so I can be freely poured out rather than worry.

Yes, God’s Word, even those so familiar passages, still read me.

I’m so thankful for our patient Savior! May we all remember He is the ONE THING we need, and our kids need to see Him in us, above worry or any other thing!

(Written and shared a while back. Needed to remember this again.)

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