Priorities

What do you notice when you enter a home? Do your eyes initially take in the decor or the children running and squeezing past each other to see who has come to see them? Are you naturally an environment oriented person or a company (as in people) oriented person?

As I take you to Mary and Martha's home, I want you to tuck these questions into your heart for a few minutes. That's right, I said tuck them into your heart. Today, you and I need to be concerned about something reaching us to the core...as busy women we do not need more head knowledge crowding our brains. We need the Heavenly Father to touch our soul.

I did just invite you into another woman's home. But, don't worry...she's too consumed with herself, she will not even notice us.

The story picks up in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke (the BIBLE).

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

Martha is not all bad. She definitely had the gift of hospitality. She opened her home to Jesus and his disciples (remember there were 12 of them, so including Jesus, that is 13 men who had been traveling). She had good intentions for being distracted. I'm sure she was baking, stacking sandles, filling water vases and glasses, fluffing pillows, doing what women do. She wanted them to be comfortable in her home. Within itself, none of these things were bad. There was just something that was BETTER. Martha felt justified in her pursuits and she thought Mary was being lazy and selfish to leave her to do all the work. But remember there was something BETTER.

Jesus reminded Martha. She was worried and upset but she didn't need to be. He wanted her to focus on the better option. Himself. His message for her. His desire to give her a gift.

Although we will not be hosting Jesus and His disciples in our home this summer, this is a season where we will probably be doing a lot of hosting. From barbecues to overnight guests. In each occasion, there is an opportunity to offer a gift to all who enter our home. May they be welcomed with grace and depart with feelings of refreshment and a desire to return soon.

It is good and right to prepare. It is right to create an environment where your guests will feel welcome. But in all of the efforts to prepare, do not lose sight of what is better. Do not be so worried about your fluffed pillows, your perfectly swept floors, your enticing meals and backyard festivities that you forget the people are most important.

Prepare for what is better. Focus on pouring into your family. So, they still feel loved in spite of company being on the evening schedule. Remember your guests are coming to see your family...not your home. And when everyone arrives and then leaves again. May they say about you, that your home and family was inviting and they leave feeling refreshed.

Suggestions to make this possible:

Do a project or cleaning task everyday leading up to the event, rather than leaving it all to the day or night before. You won't feel so overwhelmed.

Make a list of things that are really important to accomplish. Do other things, only if time and sanity allow

Know your hosting limitations. Do not sign up for more than you and your family can handle. There are different seasons in a family's life that allow for more or less hosting

Remember that your guests are the reason for hosting not the event. Focus on relationship rather than your home.

Enjoy your summer!!