Mornings With Martha

Some days you wake up and it's like God had an issue waiting for you to deal with as soon as you stepped out of bed. I feel like it normally happens right after you have a great day, this way it comes as a complete surprise. This morning felt like just such an occasion.

It seems like God constantly brings people into my life who have surrounded themselves with "friends" who will never speak into their lives in any meaningful way, nor will they speak out against any serious problems they see in the lives of their "friends". However, I seem to constantly be the one friend who will.

Many people get to a point where they give up trying to deal with those whom they constantly butt heads. It's all too common to hear people say, as they toss their arms up in defeat, "What's the point? They're never gunna change!" I think I've known for quite some time that I will never be able to accept that argument with anyone, no matter how big of a pain in the ass they are. I don't have it in me to allow people in my life to continually wreck themselves and ignore glaring problems in their lives. I don't have it in me to ignore people. But this process of confrontation is so tough to do and it can all too often end in loosing a friendship. I've always had the hope that maybe just a few words will break through from God, just enough to illicit some sort of positive change...This brings me to the topic at hand.

Martha has always bugged me. We read about her in Luke 10:38-42 and she bugs me. I'm pretty sure she bugged Jesus too so I don't feel bad about the fact that she bugs me. Just so it's clear, Martha really bugs me. Ok, now that I've clarified the situation I have to say that God has placed plenty of Marthas in my life at one point or another. They usually become my friend because at first we can relate to one anther's drive, passion for moral/ethical living, and work ethic. However, what we never relate on is how to just live life sometimes.

Martha always has to be doing something and I just want to tell her to shut up, sit down and relax. I just want her to believe already, to feel even an ounce of trust in the Lord. She worries about grades, finances, work, etc. and thinks there is always some book or instruction manual she can study in order to become perfect and in need of nothing when in fact mistakes and trials are the only things that can ever shape you in such a profoundly positive way! Martha worries, a lot. She stresses out so much that it makes me nervous just to be around her sometimes. What is truly tragic about Martha is that she has never lets anyone get close enough to her to speak into her life and show her the error of her ways. Even when Jesus shows up she ignores Him to finish baking a cake for some event instead.

So my pickle today is how do I reach Martha? Of all the Marthas I've known I have never witnessed a transformation into a Mary. They usually just get married and pass on their problems to the next generation of "marthitas" as I'll call them. I guess I don't have much else to say about this one. I know I usually have some hope based on a reflection or epiphany I had but this one kind of ends in thoughtful deliberation and lots of prayer.