As leaders, there is a lot that can consume our days, a lot that can consume our lives. Sometimes we forget to slow down and focus on the things that are truly important and necessary.
We can learn a lot from the story of when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha. This is found in Luke 10:38-42. The story starts with Jesus showing up to their house to find Mary meeting him outside and then sitting at his feet listening to him. While all of this is going on, Martha is being a busy body and preparing and was distracted by serving. Martha got upset about what was going on and asked Jesus if he cared that Martha wasn’t helping. He informed her that she was anxious and troubled about many things, while Mary had chosen the necessary and right thing to do.
Sometimes we may be like Martha, and sometimes we may be like Mary. Paul reminds us that we should be anxious about nothing, meaning that we should not be anxious or worried. As leaders we tend to get to busy, anxious, and worried, trying to make sure everything is going how it should be and better. Jesus also states in Matt 11:28, that all who are weary and tired should come to him, and he will give them rest.
At times it is good to be like Martha and be busy so that we can work and get things accomplished, but we should not be anxious or troubled. Are we so busy doing things for Jesus that we don’t spend time with him? Service to Christ can degenerate into mere busy work that is no longer full devotion to God. You shouldn’t let your service become self-serving; it should be completely selfless. As leaders and followers of Christ, we need to take time in our lives and ministries to slow down so that we can be like Mary; to rest at Jesus’s feet and listen to him. Jesus didn’t blame Martha for being concerned about household chores. He was only asking her to set her priorities. We need to be sure that our priorities in our ministry are set how they should be and are with selfless motives, not selfish motives.