Avoid
Distractions This Christmas
December 23, 2004
The Christmas season can be a time of year when I
feel like I’m going full speed from the moment I climb out of
bed in the morning until I fall asleep at night. Days can be
spent trying to tie up loose ends at work, buy gifts, and attend
parties.
Busyness is dangerous because it can drive us to
focus on pressing problems rather than on priorities. And when
that happens strategic opportunities can be missed.
Opportunities that may never occur again.
Martha missed such an opportunity. Mary didn’t.
Their day began with a sense of anticipation.
Jesus and his disciples were coming to their home for dinner.
Martha wanted everything to be just right. Motivated by a deep
love and a desire to please she began cleaning the house and
preparing the meal. Like a general directing troops she oversaw
the work of her sister.
Suddenly, he was there. But the house and meal
weren’t ready. Instead of making her guest feel at home, Martha
worked even harder. Luke noted that Martha was “distracted by
all the preparation” (v. 40). She even went so far as to rebuke
Jesus for not caring that she was working alone.
The Lord responded with a reproof of his own. The
words of Jesus interrupted the busyness of Martha and reminded
her that some things are more important than clean houses and
two course meals She was drawn away from important activities by
urgent ones. Such busyness has a high price.
To begin with, it creates stress. Stress is the
body’s way of responding to a perceived threat. It’s not a cause
but an effect. It isn’t an action but a reaction. When our body
senses danger it prepares us to engage in combat or run away.
The problem is, like Martha, we often experience stress when
there is no real threat to our safety. Our heart rate and blood
pressure elevate and our muscles increase their tension.
Without a physical outlet for the stress, our
bodies find other avenues of escape. Stress may produce
headaches, frayed nerves or back pain. Working faster doesn’t
solve the problem it only intensifies it. At a time of year when
we should be enjoying the birth of Christ and the presence of
our family we become irritable and impatient. Martha became so
impatient with her sister that she rebuked Jesus for his
apparent lack of concern. Impatience can cause us to challenge
not only friends and family, but even God. Ironically,
impatience is one sin we often tolerate in ourselves but despise
in others.
Finally, as noted earlier, busyness can cause us
to miss strategic opportunities. Martha might never again have
had the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus in her home. In
the midst of her rushing around Martha seemingly forgot that
there would be many opportunities to cook meals and clean house.
But Jesus would only be there for a short time.
In the midst of that hectic interaction Jesus
calmly noted, “Mary has chosen what is better” (v. 42). Mary
refused to allow the urgent to control her behavior. Instead of
being sucked into the current of busyness, Mary “chose” what was
more important. She “chose” to sit at the feet of Jesus. She
“chose” to take advantage of the strategic opportunity before
her.
This Christmas—slow down and sit with your family
at the feet of the baby in the manger. Seize this opportunity to
celebrate life and love.
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