BOXED IN - 21 Day Journey To Easter Through The Book Of LukeSample

Boxed In by Busyness

“There’s just not enough time in the day to get things done.” Ever said or felt that? Many days we feel the very real restraints of time. Most of us aren’t walking around with extra time, wondering what to do with it. We feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that is jammed into our busy schedules. And if we’re not careful, our busyness can box us in from more important things. 

Jesus’ close friends, Mary and Martha, both had the same amount of time, but chose to spend it very differently. At first glance, it looks like Martha is the one who really understands what’s important in life. Martha opens up her home for Jesus. She cares so much about him and his followers that she prepares a meal. That’s all good. But Martha’s busyness causes her to miss out on the “better thing” that Mary is a part of with Jesus and his disciples.  

It seems confusing at first. Martha gets reprimanded for serving Jesus? But that’s exactly what makes this story so powerful. Jesus is saying that sometimes we have to learn how to say no to good things to focus on what’s most important. If we can grasp the limitations of time, we may choose to prioritize differently. And if we don’t purposefully choose how we will spend it, those choices will be made for us. 

Question: What “better thing” might God be leading you to start doing? What’s something you might need to stop doing for that “better thing”?