mary-and-martha.com

Most women can relate to Martha because generally women are doers. We roll up our sleeves, not afraid of getting our hands dirty and getting a job done. I love Martha and I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I can totally relate to her. This story is a powerful reminder of yes, the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus and filling up, but also always keeping our eyes focused on Him and not comparing. If the Holy Spirit leads us to sit or to serve, then we shouldn’t fix our eyes on anything else. This was Martha’s problem. She took her eyes off what she was called to do and compared. How many of us when we are busy serving and giving out, we then cast our eyes on what others are not doing? Or what about when we are called to a season of doing less and spending time being ministered or ministering to God, that we look at those who are serving and what we should be doing? Drawing comparisons will always give you the short end of the stick. It will always leave you feeling you’re not good enough or doing enough. It will create bad attitudes rather than good ones. Martha was called to serve Jesus lunch and she chose to focus on Mary. Whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do, always keep your eyes fixed on Him.

Introducing Sandra who will also be contributing articles to this blog and I look forward to seeing what both Sandra and Chrissi will bring to the blog. Sandra is also another lady from my church and she and I will be working together on various projects at the church. KMT

I’d like to introduce Chrissi who will be a contributing author on this blog. Chrissi posted a comment on the first post of this blog so readers will already know a little bit about her. Chrissi and I attend the same church and this blog topic is one that is close to her heart so it seemed fitting to invite her to contribute. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her posts and our journey together in exploring this topic. KMT

For the past year I have been writing a blog on the Proverbs 31 Woman and perhaps you have read it. Recently a lady posted a comment because of her concern in trying to do all the right things. It was obvious she was so caught up in actions that she had forgotten to take some time out from her work and spend time with the Lord. My response to her request for help was the following:

You poor thing - the Proverbs 31 Woman is great to work towards but it doesn’t mean you have to be the perfect woman, and I think this is something many of us (women) struggle to try and be.

Please don’t mistake the need for rest for the ‘bread of idleness’. Don’t you know that even a woodcutter has to take time out to sharpen his saw? Reading your bible, prayer and meditation are the very things you need to sustain you, give you strength and keep you going. If you’re not resting, particularly in the Lord, then of course you’re going to feel exhausted.

Be kind to yourself and allow yourself time to spend with our Lord, reading his Word, and just relaxing. You don’t have to get everything finished every day. But in resting, you’ll find you have renewed energy and enjoyment in life and that you’ll probably achieve more than you could before.

The Proverbs 31 Woman is a great example to work towards but she is an example and none of us can ever expect to reach perfection in our lifetime.

By the way - give yourself permission to go and sit with your husband in the evenings. He married you to be with you and a ‘perfect wife’ cannot be so if she’s not spending time with her husband.

I’m posting this here because she is also caught up in the ‘Mary and Martha’ thing - the desire/need to do and get everything done, but at the same time resenting that others can sit around and rest or spend time with the Lord or each other. We get torn to do one or the other, without realising that there is room for both - we just need to accept that and apportion time suitably for both.