A “Mary” Christmas or a “Martha Christmas?

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed this holiday season? This whole Christmas season seems to go by so fast that you hardly remember everything that still needs to be done. You’ve stayed up late too many nights. Are there Christmas cards you need to send but haven’t found the time? You know you’ve eaten too much food so you’re already worrying how you’re going to lose the extra pounds.

Take a few moments and put aside all your busy thoughts; forget about all the things you haven’t done. Let’s stop and focus our attention on our spiritual attitude toward this Christmas.

Read Luke 10:38-42. Here is the account of Jesus visiting the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha. The scene is typical of many homes this Christmas season.

Mary is SITTING at Jesus’ feet while Martha is running around SERVING dinner.

Mary CONTEMPLATED the words of Jesus while Martha COMPLAINED to Jesus. Martha got in Jesus’ face and complained, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me” (v. 40).

Sound familiar? You’re running around making all the preparations, making sure that everything was perfect, taking care of the smallest details. The proper fork was placed in the proper order at the left side of the plate. The tea cup is on the saucer and with the handle turned to precisely 3:00. The napkins are folded just right… And no one is helping you.

Jesus’ response to Martha’s complaint is nothing short of profound. Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But ONE THING IS NEEDFUL: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was DISTRACTED while Mary DECIDED—“Mary hath CHOSEN that good part…” What about the many things that have distracted you over these past few weeks? Has busyness and your desire to do all of those “many things” crowded your thoughts in such a way as to distract you from what Christmas is really all about?

Now, let’s take a moment to sit, as Mary did, to contemplate the One who’s birth we are celebrating. Let’s chose “the one thing” that is NEEDED. That one thing, above all else, is Jesus!

Are you going to have a Mary Christmas, or a Martha Christmas?