Printed from: https://archive.cmf.org.uk/doctors/devotion/?day=8&id=devotion&month=3
`Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, `you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing in needed'. Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)
Putting it into modern terms, Martha was an obsessive-compulsive personality. She invited the Lord and his men to her home for dinner, and because she loved them deeply, she wanted it to be a dinner they would never forget. Nothing less than a seven course meal would do!
Obsessive-compulsive people are like that. Their motto is: If a thing in worth doing it is worth doing well'. That motto has murdered as many people as it has motivated. It's not enough to serve a meal when company comes; it has to be a banquet. Cleaning the house will not satisfy; the house must be scoured. People who buy into that slogan not only help their neighbour on the Jericho road, they determine to start a Jericho road missionary society and attend all the meetings.
Now, busyness is not bad. That was not Martha's problem. What did draw mild rebuke from the Lord was the sour spirit that the busyness produced. Luke tells us that Martha was `cumbered' with her serving, and Jesus could tell from her tone of voice that Martha was `anxious and troubled about many things'. That is the test of whether or not we are too busy. What does our activity do to our spirits? Whenever our activity puts a cankersore on our souls, then we have overextended ourselves. The trouble with obsessive-compulsive personalities is not that they are constantly doing more than other people. The trouble is that it sometimes affects their attitudes. They do their good deeds with a bad spirit.
Drop they still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
J G Whittier
Further reading: Mt 6:25-34.
HWR
