Thursday, August 16, 2012

busy.



"How have you been lately?"

"Just busy.  Really, really busy."

Sound familiar?  It seems like I have this conversation at least once a day.  I've been on both ends of the conversation, either inquiring of my "busy" friend or being quick to boast in my busyness.  It's as if somehow, we have equated "busyness" to "productivity".  Busyness has become a good thing, a sought-after title for the middle-class American.  We've bought into the lie that the busier we are, the more value we have, the more necessary our existence is.  Most likely, you're guilty of this thought pattern and I certainly am too.

I find myself relating easily to Martha as she "was distracted with much serving" (Luke 10.38) while her sister, Mary, basked in the presence of Jesus, sitting at his feet and listening to his teaching (Luke 10.39).  Sometimes I find myself wanting to do more than I want to be.  But I think we can learn a lot from Mary's discernment.  She realized that there was a time to be Jesus' hands and feet and there was a time to be at Jesus' hands and feet...a time to be still, to listen and to learn.

God doesn't call us to be busy, he calls us to be productive.  And sometimes the most productive thing we can do is stop being busy for Jesus and start being with Jesus.