Loving in Deed

This morning before seven o'clock a crew began arriving at the big two-story house across the street. A huge bin was delivered from the trash hauling company (and carried away full, three times.) A motorized lift sat in the driveway, there so that a painter could reach the high gables. Men arrived in pickup trucks and SUV's with chain saws and ladders, women with paint rollers and hedge clippers until by 10:00, there were over thirty workers on hand. They were part of a city-wide effort by local churches to "love" our city by cleaning, painting, and doing other jobs that improve the living in our hometown. Thousands of volunteers from around thirty-five local churches united in service and outreach to the poor, elderly, or disabled as well as to public properties such as parks and schools.

This endeavor to show Christ's love in a visible way was carefully planned, beginning several weeks ago. From time to time today, I observed what I can only call a transformation in progress. Maybe this was not an "extreme makeover" in the TV sense of the word, but it's probably as close as we'll ever see on the street where I live! Amazing! But the crew didn't stop with painting the whole house, hauling off old furniture, and clearing away a lot of brush. They also did some new landscaping with beautiful shrubs to dress up the front of the house and a stepping stone path through the back yard to the dog house!

John, the Apostle of Love, wrote "Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." (I John 3:18) I saw that demonstrated in such a fine way across the street today.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Paying the Price

I enjoy reading memoirs—of the rich and famous, not so much, but of ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary things or have faced extraordinary difficulties. Recently there has been an outbreak of stories written by people smarting from injury. Among financiers, politicians, religious leaders, sports figures, and entertainers, there are a number who have confessed to wrongdoing, and have brought hardship not only to themselves but also to the more ordinary folk who trusted them. Now some of those others are writing about their experiences. Revenge? I can't say. Truth to set the record straight? Maybe. Money? Quite likely.

We love our heroes, and we choose the ones whose achievements are most closely aligned with our interests and values. If they exude charisma, so much the better. But if they fall, it is a very long way down, and we are quick to focus our attention on another hopeful. That may not be entirely fair, but that is part of the workings of leadership.

People sometimes try to negotiate the price they pay for failure. They didn’t figure on it costing them their career, their family, or their civil freedom. There are people in prison today or held captive by their own fear and regret who didn't plan on that outcome at all. "If I had known, I wouldn't have . . ." But they simply followed the alluring call of money or sex or power, and now must bear the consequences of their so-called "indiscretion."

I read a little of what one disappointed wife wrote; she does not seem bitter, just hurt. She accepts that her husband has done wrong, but she was dismayed by how quickly the flow of money and the recognition vanished. Didn't his accomplishments before failure count for anything? Weren't his relationships dependable enough to withstand the blow?

Well, perhaps not. When the charismatic person at the top takes a tumble, the whole framework is endangered. Although understanding and mercy may be extended—and in some cases, even Christian forgiveness—we are uneasy about the governor or pastor or banker who demonstrated that his/her own interests were ahead of ours. They may be ever so full of remorse now that they have been exposed, but few of their constituents or congregants or customers will want to go on as if nothing had happened. We accept that these leaders are human and make mistakes, but we do not any longer want them trying to lead us. We now know that they don't know where they're going.

King Saul in the Bible was just such a leader. He disobeyed God by carrying away some of the spoils of battle when he had been clearly instructed to destroy everything. "Yes, but I did carry out the mission . . ." "Yes, I know what God said, but the people wanted . . . " "Yes, I know I have sinned, but just excuse that because now I am ready to worship . . ." "Yes, I know I was wrong, but just honor me before the people . . ." He didn't plan to lose his kingdom and eventually his life, but that was the price he paid for failure.

I am supposing that most of us are not the extraordinary people at the top in the world of finance or politics or religion or sports and entertainment; most of us are looking to others for leadership in these areas. But the truth about the cost of failure is true for all of us. All my life I have heard, "You are the best Christian somebody knows." While we all make mistakes and have areas where we fall short, that does not justify abandoning what is right, along with those who are counting on us to demonstrate that for them. The price of integrity is small compared to the price we would pay for failure.

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

I Am But One

The little country church I attended as a child was sparse in decorative effect, but I do remember one blue-and-gold banner on the south wall, three-fourths of the way forward in the rows of hard, straight benches. It said something like this:

I am but ONE,
But I am ONE.
I cannot do EVERYTHING,
But I can do SOMETHING.
What I CAN DO,
God helping me,
I WILL DO.

It would be nice if I could tell you that the motto changed my young life, set me on the road to success, and still guides me. That would not be entirely true. The significance of those words was tucked away somewhere and has only recently come to the surface again. Isn't memory an amazing thing! Now that I am able to appreciate the wisdom of that banner, I am glad someone hung it there to remind me, all these years later, of an important truth: Whatever we do, counts.

One of my nephews, when he was quite young, told his parents, "When I grow up, I want to be a garbage collector." (What little boy doesn't want to go through the trash to see what preciousness he can find?) They did not discourage his ambition, but instead replied, "We need good garbage collectors." He turned out to be extremely well-educated with an important position in some technical career I don't even understand! But if he had been a garbage collector, that would have been important too. Tell me, just who would you miss the most—your supervisor at work if he/she was gone for a day, or the trash man if he skipped your pick-up day?

On a day-to-day basis, we need people who, as their job, throw newspapers, wash dishes, drive school buses, operate Laundromats, change tires, sell the garden produce they've grown and many more. We need street sweepers, tow truck drivers, roofing crews, mail carriers, teachers, attorneys, pastors, librarians, firemen and a host of others. In addition, we need people who will volunteer to stuff envelopes, fill trays at feeding centers, write letters for an elderly person, be a foster grandparent, or teach someone to read. We need people who will pick up trash they didn't drop, hold the door for someone, and smile whenever they get a chance.

Not all of us are going to be rich or famous or powerful; it takes a lot of ordinary people to run the world. Abraham Lincoln said, "God must love the common man, He made so many of them." But even the most ordinary of us can make a valuable contribution if we live out the idea that whatever the something is that we can do, we will do. The Wisdom Writer said, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9:10) We have to do what we can, while we can.

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The Church Is Christ's Body

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the earth, yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now." St Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582

From childhood, I have heard this quote by the famous Carmelite nun, whose writings are full of deep spiritual insights as well as practical common sense. But to me, the idea that I was responsible for "being Jesus" to the world around me was a scary thought! With my exaggerated sense of obligation, it seemed like just too much.

I agree with Teresa that I am a personal representative of Christ. The Apostle Paul himself wrote, "So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!' " (II Corinthians 5:20) But my overwhelming sense of duty was relieved when I realized that I am not by myself in this. It is not up to me alone, but to the whole Church.

"God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:22, 23) The Church is Christ's body. His hands, His feet, His eyes are given expression through many believers, not just me. While I want to take my full share of responsibility to bless and do good, it is not the fearsome "oughtness" I once thought it was. All those who share my allegiance to Christ as the head, share my participation in being His body.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Little Is Much

Two funerals held in our city today drew my attention. One was for a sheriff's deputy who died after being shot during his response to a call for aid. About two thousand people, including the governor and attorney general and a large number of law enforcement officials from the region, attended the memorial service held for him. So many cars were in the procession to the cemetery that sections of some of the main thoroughfares through the city were closed, and traffic was directed to alternate routes. Hundreds of officers and members of a motorcycle honor guard stood with flags at the burial site. A gun salute, "Taps," bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace," and a helicopter flying overhead honored the young man in a way befitting an officer who gave his life in the line of duty, especially since he was a loving husband and father.

The second service was attended by only a few dozen people. "Nellie was God's biggest earth-bound angel," the presiding pastor said, and wept openly as she shared the many ways this Christian woman had shared her life and her love with others. It was a very simple service, with nothing to make it outstanding except the one we were remembering and honoring. The community paid little attention—but God took note.

Little is much if God is in it;
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There's a crown and you can win it,
If you'll go in Jesus' name.
    Kittie L. Suffield (1924?)

MaryMartha

Nothing Useless

"Balm in Gilead," a very old traditional spiritual, has some "wandering verses," in it; that is, lines that may be found in some versions of other well-known songs.

Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think my work's in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.

If you cannot preach like Peter,
If you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus
And say, "He died for all."

It is easy, as the hymn suggests, to become discouraged by the little we are able to accomplish for the Kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, ”So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (I Corinthians 15:58 NLT)

* What little words or acts of kindness would you be certain to give if you knew they were important to God?
* What big thing might you attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?

It's true! Nothing we do for Him is useless. Everything counts. "And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:42 NLT)

We often quote the Scripture, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." But do you realize that refers to the use of our gifts? "And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (II Timothy 1:6, 7 MSG) Although true in the broader sense as well, it specifically reminds us not to be timid about working for the Lord. Nothing is useless!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Labor Day

This is Labor Day, celebrated with a three-day weekend in the U.S. I learned as a child that it was intended to recognize the importance of American workers, but that made no sense to me. A day off to honor working people? On the farm we worked just the same as every other day. (Well, that's not quite true. We didn't go to school, but back then school didn't start until after Labor Day, anyway.) So I think it would be nice to honor people who do work on Labor Day and most other holidays. Among them:

* Farmers, ranchers, dairymen, veterinarians and all who tend to animals' needs
* Police officers and other safety/law enforcement personnel
* Firefighters
* Nurses, doctors, lab technicians, and other hospital attendants including cooks and cleaning staff
* Military men and women
* Ambulance drivers and emergency medical technicians
* Disaster relief workers
* Hotel and motel employees
* Restaurateurs and their cooks and wait staff
* Service station and convenience store employees
* Transportation workers for airlines, railroads, shipping companies, and taxi services
* Movie theater attendants, along with workers at many other entertainment centers
* Trash pickup workers
* Retail store employees, including grocery stores
* Shelter and food service workers at sites which aid the needy
* Church staffs, when called upon

Let's hear it for the laborers who make holidays safer, happier, more fun, for the rest of us! [Insert loud clapping and cheering here]

P.S. And don't forget the mothers who are in labor, giving birth today!

MaryMartha

Pomp and Circumstance

A few mornings ago, I heard on a radio station which plays classical music the stirring "Pomp and Circumstance." It's stirring because it usually reminds us of processioning down the aisle of an auditorium for a graduation ceremony, although in my case, it was across a football field in the blazing sun. I cried tears of sheer relief after the commencement exercises were over and I had my degree in hand. The four years of commuting to another city for graduate studies was over, work that I had done while holding a full-time job and being a single parent. I was not awarded any special honors, but I didn't care. It was enough to have "finished the course and kept the faith"!

I am reminded of an often-repeated story, told with varying details, but this is how I remember having heard it when I was very young. An elderly preacher, now in ill health, was returning to the States after many years of service in Africa. As the ship approached the harbor, he saw a huge crowd gathered. He was nearly overwhelmed by the thought of so many honoring him for his almost-unnoticed work for the Kingdom of God. "Oh my, what a welcome!" he thought.

As the ship docked, however, he saw that the signs being held up said, "Welcome home, Mr. President!" Theodore Roosevelt was returning from an African safari, and the missionary happened to be on the same ship. With sinking heart, he realized that the crowd was not for himself; in fact, he was to discover that not one single person was there to greet and honor him. The veteran missionary turned to God in his bitter disappointment. "Lord, I have served you faithfully all these years. No one seems to care that I have given everything—even my health—for the sake of the Gospel. Couldn't there have been even one person here to welcome me home?" And he heard the comforting voice of the Spirit of God, "But just wait. You're not Home yet!"

What a day that will be! Graduation! Commencement! Homecoming! "Welcome home!" Perhaps even, "Congratulations!" All of those rolled into one. And most of all, the words of our Savior, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:23 KJV)

MaryMartha

One Pebble at a Time

I was thinking last evening about what I am accomplishing for the Kingdom of God—actually, about what a little bit I seem to be accomplishing, and I was somewhat disheartened by my evaluation. Then I remembered an old story, or maybe God reminded me! It's one of Aesop's fables, "The Crow and the Pitcher."

The Crow and the Pitcher

A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it. He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him, and after casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save his life.

Little by little does the trick.

I'm not comparing myself or anyone else to a crow, but the lesson is clear to me. Nothing I do is on a grand scale, nor does it need to be. Bit by bit, one "pebble" at a time, I will keep my faith-witness alive and clear, and one day the Water of Life will rise in the pitcher until some thirsty person can have a drink.

MaryMartha

Believing and Becoming

A charming four-year-old of my acquaintance recently told her mother, "Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a black man."

"Honey," the mother replied, "you're a little girl, and little girls grow up to be ladies. When you grow up, you'll be a lady, not a man."

"Oh. Well, then I want to be a black lady."

Mother gently explained to her fair-skinned child, "Honey, when you grow up, your skin will be pretty much just like it is now. You can't be a black lady."

"Oh." The child paused. "Well, then I'll just be an elephant!"

We are told that "if you can imagine it, you can achieve it." Does merely imagining something guarantee that it's within the realm of possibility? Obviously, the answer is sometimes no. But it is true, that if we are in fact going to become something, we must first believe it. By the time she is, say, twelve years old, the little girl will have set her sights on some other more reasonable ambition, and I have no doubt that she will believe it and achieve it

There aren't really any "secrets" to becoming who we want to be. Successful people have shared what they have discovered, and not too surprisingly, one of the things frequently mentioned is "hard work." Dreaming is not enough, although I believe in dreaming. It takes determination, preparation, sacrifice, dedication to the task, learning from failure, and usually it takes time. Famous people in spheres of work that vary from actor or journalist to movie producer or model have told us it takes a good many years to become an "overnight success." Sometimes, in our eagerness to convey confidence to our children or our students and mentorees, we underplay the price of achievement. Jesus did not make that mistake.

Jesus made it very clear that following Him would entail some cost. Sometimes, especially in the first flush of enthusiastic commitment, Christians mistake personal ambition for God's leading. When they find that the pathway to influence is not necessarily the same as the road to fame or power, they become discouraged. "If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ " (Luke 14:27-30) Very often, the follower of Jesus experiences the cost of discipleship with little distinction or financial gain—just the knowledge that he/she has faithfully carried the cross. If we believe that's a goal worthy of our pursuit, we can become a truehearted disciple.

MaryMartha

Related posts: I Have a Dream
Don't Give Up the Dream

The quote, "If you can imagine . . ." is from William Arthur Ward, known for his inspirational writings.
Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

The Great Reversal

The world is upside down! And hardly anyone knows it.

A great many people equate success with power. They suppose that the way to become powerful—in the home or school, in the business world, or even in the church milieu—is to fight one's way up.

"Get a good education," they say, "whatever you do. Nothing beats the proper training."

"Work hard," others say, "and you'll be successful. Nothing beats good old 'sweat of your brow.' "

"Be prepared to start at the bottom," some counsel. "Nothing beats experience."

And though they would never dare say it aloud, others believe, "Step on a few folks on your way up, if necessary. Nothing beats opportunity."

Jesus had a completely different formula for success. In fact, His definition of success was very different too—not "up" but "down."

-- “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else." (Mark 10:42-44 NLT)

-- "Anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." (Matthew 19:29, 30 MSG)

-- “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep . . . No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily . . ." On the cross, "He said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." (John 10:11, 18; 19:30 NLT)

The Apostle Paul, the all-time great among Christians, also understood the upside-downness of the world's commonly-held view. In the press of a difficult circumstance, he asked God three times for relief. Each time, the Lord answered, " 'My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.' Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." (II Corinthians 12:9, 10 MSG)

But what about ordinary people like us? The power of which Jesus and Paul spoke works for us too! "The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor satisfaction to the wise, nor riches to the smart, nor grace to the learned." (Ecclesiastes 9:11 MSG) Although the Teacher who made this observation concluded pessimistically that sooner or later bad luck comes to all, the truth is this: Everyone has to endure hard things, but only those who know the secret of The Great Reversal can make those difficulties generate power!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

To Bear His Cross

Roman soldiers led Jesus out from the governor's palace, forcing Him to carry the cross on which He would die. On the way, tradition says, Jesus, weakened by the physical traumas of the preceding hours, collapsed under the burden. Then they [the soldiers] compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross." (Mark 15:21 NKJV)

Why Simon? Why a good country man who had cares enough of his own? He had not come, as many had, to the see the public spectacle of a crucifixion; he was just minding his own business.

Or did the blood and dirt and injustice make him cry out, brining the scornful attention of the soldiers? Did Simon "ask for it"?

They compelled him to take Jesus' cross. Was he afraid? To bear the cross of Christ—what awful judgment might be visited upon him for aiding in Jesus' death! Did Jesus then, through His pain, perhaps smile at him and whisper, "It's all right, Simon. Take the cross. It's not for them you do it. It's for Me!"

And when we face a cross—entering into the dark places of human need, loving and holding up the weak, caring patiently for those who disappoint, enduring the misunderstanding of some we had counted on, giving ourselves cheerfully to a small but wearying task—can we then remember that we bear His cross? This is not our loving or giving; it is His—His cross again, for He still feels the burden of lost, confused people. The Apostle Paul wrote from prison, "I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church." (Colossians 1:24 NLT)

Our self-made crosses cannot redeem; suffering of our own will not bring healing. It is only Jesus' cross that saves. Only His suffering is redemptive. Like Simon, we may be called upon to bear a cross. We too are compelled, but not by a sword. "For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake." (II Corinthians 5:14, 15 AMP)

The hymn lyrics written by Thomas Shepherd ask:

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

To let the cross be laid upon us for His sake, to bear His cross with Him and for Him is to help release His redeeming love and power to work in our troubled world.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked AMP is taken from The Amplified Bible®, copyright 1965, 1987 by The Zondervan Corporation and The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Secret Service

For Valentine's Day, February 14

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of . . . [Love] not just for some, but for every, every, everyone." (Burt Bacharach) Lots of people could benefit tomorrow from knowing someone cared about them. I thought you might need some "lead time" if you're going to take action, so I am posting this today, even though it's only the 13th.

If you are certain to get something really wonderful from someone you love, ladies--chocolate, a beautiful card, roses, jewelry with rubies or diamonds--or fellows, a candlelight dinner or a weekend getaway, enjoy! Could you take just a few minutes in the next day or two to give away an expression of caring to someone who does not expect it--and perhaps doesn't even deserve it?

Or maybe the people you love aren't into the sentiment surrounding this particular day or they simply are not able to do what their heart desires. Never mind, if you're loved, be glad! Buy yourself the chocolate, if you want to, and do your own planning of the getaway. And remember to reach out to someone who may be wondering if there is anyone at all who cares.

Or maybe, for whatever reason, you're alone. Perhaps there is no one who would send flowers or treat you to dinner. All the more reason for you to extend your love to someone else who is alone. You know how it feels.

I'm suggesting "secret service" for several reasons. So often when we give, we expect something in return, even if only gratitude. A gift or an act of service that comes from an undisclosed giver cannot be reciprocated, and it's good for us to experience that sometimes. Secret service keeps us free from entanglements that might be undesirable or unwise. And secret service is just so much fun!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Look Busy

"JESUS IS COMING! Look Busy" a bumper sticker warned me as I exited a parking lot the other day. I've been pondering that. What does it mean?

• Does it mean: Jesus really is returning. Since He instructed us in a parable, "Do business till I come back" (Luke 19:13), I had better be involved in doing something religious, or at least look like I am.
• Does it mean: Actually, I can fool Jesus. How I've lived and what I've done so far don't really matter much, so long as I'm looking good when He divides those who are ready from the unprepared.
• Does it mean: Jesus' return is a threat. He is one mean Boss not to be messed with. Do I really want to risk my job as one of His servants?
• Does it mean: It's a jab at people who are foolish enough to believe that Christ's return is real, let alone imminent.
• Does it mean: It's just a joke. Don't try to make it imply anything.

I don't know for sure what the owner of the bumper sticker meant, but I can offer my own take on the possibilities. No, I don't want to be "just acting" at anything when the Lord returns; I want to be genuine. No, I can't fool Jesus—don't want to. No, Jesus is not a stern taskmaster just waiting to catch me with my guard down, relaxing. No, it's not really a jab, but maybe a clever way of calling attention to those Christians who are overly performance-oriented. No, it's not just a joke, or else why bother with sticking a message on the bumper?

MaryMartha
(All rights reserve)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Watching the Symphony

A few evenings ago I attended a concert presented by our area symphony and their guest performers. I often listen to orchestral music, but I don't very often get to watch it being made! Arriving early, I saw the members of the orchestra come in a few at a time and take their places. They began to warm up their instruments and their fingers (and also their lips for those playing wind instruments). Some played scales, some went over parts of the musical score—every man or woman for him/her self. As the stage filled with musicians, there was a cacophony of sound, not really unpleasant but not very melodious either.

Just before the hour when the concert was to begin, the concertmaster made his entrance. The audience applauded him, and he acknowledged us with a bow. Turning to the orchestra, he signaled to the first player in the oboe section, and the oboist sounded a clear, beautiful note (an A, in case you're interested, and it's the oboe because it has the most reliable pitch). Then every player sounded the note and tuned any off-key instrument. The oboe sounded the note again, and then a third time while all the instrumentalists checked their pitch carefully. I noted that although the conductor had yet to appear and begin the performance, the orchestra was creating harmonious sound under the leadership of that one person.

The program of music which followed was simply wonderful, and the guest performers dazzling! I kept watching as well as listening. All those violinists make their bows go back and forth at the same time, and the other stringed instruments are handled that way too. How do they do that? I have since learned that the concertmaster, who is the principal player in the first violin section, is the one mainly responsible for establishing the appropriate bowings for the string section, which affects their musical technique as well as the "look" of the ensemble.

The concertmaster sits in the "first chair" next to the conductor's podium and customarily plays the violin solos that occur within the orchestral pieces. Glenn Dicterow is concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, one of the world's premiere symphony orchestras. In an interview several years ago, he stated that perhaps the hardest aspect of being a concertmaster is to be part of a sea of sound—and then come out as a soloist for ten seconds, and then again be part of the complex sound. "It's a challenge," he said. "You have to learn how to be not just a stellar player, but how to play with other people—how to meld in and not stand out, how to be part of the team and help that team along." When Dicterow goes on tour as a soloist with other orchestras, and if he performs early in the program, he sometimes sits with the second violins in the back after the intermission. It is harder to play in the back of a section than in the front, and he empathizes with the people who sit back there, twenty or thirty feet from the conductor and the concertmaster's cues and near the brass and percussion. So why am I telling you all this?

• Christians can't do their own thing. We need a Leader, and we need those who are commissioned by Him to help us give consistent evidence of His grace.
• We need to tune to the "A" note that Jesus sounded. We won't be exactly alike, just as violins and trumpets have different voices. But we all need to find the pitch that resonates with His.
• We have some written instructions, the Word of God, just as the string sections in the orchestra have a score with notes to play and technique to follow.
• Leaders who have a highly visible ministry must never forget how hard it is to be "just" an usher, the snack-preparer for children's church, or the parking lot attendant.

Keeping these things in mind, we can make beautiful music together!

MaryMartha
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Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Mary and Martha Were Sisters

Mary and Martha were sisters who lived, during the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, in the little town of Bethany. The family often entertained Jesus in their home; it was a quiet place to rest and get a home-cooked meal. Jesus loved Martha, the Scripture says, and also her sister Mary. Here is how I imagine their story:

Martha was a worker. She thrived on the well-deserved compliments she received on her well-kept home. (It was her house, the Scripture indicates.) Under her care, the household hummed along smoothly. Meals were attractive and ready on time, the shelves were neatly ordered, the floors were clean. Martha saw to it.

Mary was a learner. When Jesus was in the house, she put aside her duties—cleaning, cooking, weaving—and sat close enough to hear him speak, completely absorbed in every word He said. Nothing was more important than learning from Jesus. Mary knew that.

One day Jesus came with His entourage of disciples and other followers—how many we don’t know—just in time for dinner. Maybe the women had had time to prepare, perhaps not. At any rate, Martha busied herself with preparations to feed the crowd. Mary, on the other hand, crept into the dining area where the men would soon be served. She sat, probably somewhat hidden since she was uninvited, at Jesus' feet to hear what He was saying.

In the middle of preparing the meal, hot and tired from baking fresh bread, Martha suddenly realized that her sister had not moved from her place at Jesus' feet. The table was not even laid, and here sat Mary, hanging on Jesus every word, completely unaware of all the work yet to be done. Martha began to get irritated, quite naturally. Would she have preferred to sit and listen to Jesus too? Quite probably. But Martha couldn't take the traveling evangelist out for dinner, or call a nice restaurant that caters to bring in a meal. That was not an option; she was obligated to provide for Jesus and the others in her own home. But she was having to do it all alone!

Martha bustled into the room, interrupting the men. "Master," she said curtly to Jesus, "doesn't it bother you that my sister has abandoned the kitchen, expecting me to get everything ready for You? Tell her to lend me a hand!" What motivated Martha to go to Jesus and call attention to Mary's lack of cooperation? Why didn't she just whisper to Mary, "C'mon, sis, I need your help"? Or had she already summoned Mary and been ignored?

Jesus did not scold Martha and tell her she should stop serving, nor did He pat Mary's head and tell her to stay right there. He just said gently, “Dear, dear Martha, you are far too worried about all these details! You're upset about things—a meal and a room—that matter only for a little while. Just one thing is really essential, and Mary has discovered that. Spiritual communion. What she gains here can never, in this world or the next, be taken away from her.

"Here," He continued, "come sit for awhile with us. Dinner can wait."

So Martha sat beside her sister, her fingers working nervously in her unaccustomed idleness. After a time, she quit studying the frayed edge of the Master's robe—"I've got to mend that while He's here"—and looked up into His face. The same welcome smile He had for Mary was there for her too, the same loving warmth in His eyes. Martha relaxed in the peace of His presence.
And pretty soon, without a word, Mary got up and went into the kitchen.x

l l l

My best friend and I are sisters too. Some of our early difficulties in understanding each other may be attributed to natural sibling rivalry or to our birth order in the family. However, our situation as we grew up was aggravated by family friends, well-meaning but not well-informed, who were prone to evaluate and make comparisons. “Mary is the quiet, serious one,” they would say. "Now Martha,” they continued, “is not like her sister. She is very busy with her career. (Sigh) The girls are so different.”

As we matured, though, the most amazing thing happened. Mary hit some rough places in life, and she didn't feel as spiritual as she once had. Martha met some friends that challenged her in new ways and her faith was energized. Mary became very busy, like a Martha. Martha began to value contemplation, like a Mary. After awhile Mary had a quiet, reflective aspect of herself, but an active, vigorous side as well. Martha too had a meditative and prayerful life, as well as a busy and creative one. Mary discovered that she was not all that different from Martha, and Martha began to see how like Mary she was. I am Mary and I am Martha. My sister is Mary and she is Martha. And yes, we can still tell each other apart! My blogging name—MaryMartha—was chosen to honor the two parts of me, and the two parts of my sister, and the two Bible women both of whom we admire.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Whole in One #5: Activate Singleness for God

Since your single state may very well turn out to be temporary, what can you do for God now that you may not be able to do later? The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.” (I Corinthians 7:32-35)

Paul was not against marriage. He was just a very smart man, recognizing our human tendency to get wrapped up in whatever we are involved in, whether that is job, home and family, or the Kingdom. A person has only so much time and energy to put into life’s events. If a person has a family, that has to be a priority, but if he or she is serving God with real intensity, there is going to be a problem having time and energy to do it all. Without a marriage and family, that energy can be dedicated to the things of God. During the time you are single, however long that is, you can be totally involved with Him.

I am convinced that one of the most important things an unmarried person can do is to demonstrate to the Church and to the world that it doesn’t take any thing to be happy. Jesus is enough. He really is. During my longest period of singleness, God challenged me to be an example of His sufficiency in the life of a single person. People actually said to me from time to time, with wonder in their voices, “You’re happy, aren’t you?” As if to say, “You crazy lady, why are you so cheerful?” No, it isn’t easy. I cried sometimes with loneliness and frustration just as others have. But I considered it an honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of being an ambassador for the sufficiency of Christ.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Thanks to Dr. David Jeremiah (Turning Point) for permission to use the outline of his radio sermon on I Corinthians 7 and quotes from his book Core Vales of the Church: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Volume 2. Many years ago during an extended period of singleness, these were a great help to me.

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Things Mama Taught Me: Give Back to God

I’m not sure my parents ever explained to me just why we put money in the offering plate at church. I don’t remember any rules about giving: to whom, how much, and how often. We gave pennies in the special birthday offering, according to the years of our age. We gave nickels and dimes in Sunday School, and my parents put bills in the offering plate in “big church.” I knew it all went to God, but I don’t think I ever thought about why He would want it! Now I understand that there are some very good reasons for giving found in Scripture, and a number of them turn out to be for my benefit!

-- Giving lays up treasure in heaven. Writing to his young colleague Timothy, the Apostle Paul said, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (I Timothy 6:18, 19 NIV). Jesus taught the same thing in His ministry. Speaking to a rich young man who was seeking eternal life, He said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. . . Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21 NLT) I confess I don’t know exactly how this “sending stuff ahead” works, but since we cannot take it with us anyway when we depart this world, it makes sense to invest it in eternity!

-- Giving is the ultimate safe investment. "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” (Matthew 6:19-21 MSG)

-- Giving assures an earthly return as well. “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38 NLT) One of the powerful lessons I have learned in my maturing years as a Christian is that the return may not be from the person(s) who benefited from my gift. I kept expecting gratitude and the overflowing “lap” from the same source and it seldom, if ever, came. I expected the return to be in kind too, but that did not often happen either. God promises a return, but He is in charge of what and how and when! A second part of the same lesson is as familiar to us as the principle of planting and harvesting. What I give is enlarged, and what I get back is greater than I gave—although, again, it may not be of the same sort.

-- Giving is a way of encouraging another’s efforts, supporting them in what they are doing for God and good. “How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:10-11, 18 NLT)

-- Giving reflects my trustworthiness in spiritual matters. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:10-11 NLT

-- Giving acknowledges God as my source and shows my gratitude. As long as there have been people on the earth, they have been bringing gifts to God. One beautiful expression is recorded in the Old Testament. “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘With this gift I acknowledge to the Lord your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us’ . . . He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! And now, O Lord, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have given me from the ground.’ Then place the produce before the Lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him.” (Deuteronomy 26:1-4, 9, 10 NLT)

-- Giving brings honor to God. “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich [enriched] in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (II Corinthians 9:10-12 NIV)

-- Giving is received by God Himself, even though we have offered it to meet a human need. When God sorts out rewards for those entering the heavenly Kingdom, He tells some, “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.” They object, having never done those deeds. “Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.' “ (Matthew 25:35-36, 40 MSG)

The nature of God Himself is to give. Give—and watch what happens!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Bearing Burdens

For a long time, I puzzled over the meaning of two Bible verses found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians. “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ . . . For every man shall bear his own burden.” (Galatians 2:2, 5 KJV) What could Paul mean by these two seemingly opposite commands?

Then one day I saw a sketch that illuminated the passage for me. A line of travelers—men, women and even children—moved along a pathway. Each carried a “burden”: a big bundle under her arm, a large bag slung over his shoulder, a heavy jug held steady on her back by a long head-strap, a pack on his small shoulders, a bundle balanced on her tiny head.

Each person was carrying their own load, suited to their ability. At the same time, each leaned forward with one or both hands to help lift the burden of the person just ahead in the line. No one failed to take responsibility for himself/herself, but no one neglected the obligation to aid another. Everyone obeyed the command to bear one another’s burdens, and likewise the command to bear his/her own.

Jesus spoke of this same balance when He told us, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The love that does good to others is not meant to exclude oneself. Taking care of oneself is not freedom to eliminate reaching out to others. What a demonstration of Christian community if we can lovingly practice this way of bearing burdens!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

The sketch I describe above is from an old yellowed copy I have of “Good News for Modern Man, the New Testament in Today’s English Version.” Days Inn invited me, years ago, to “take it with [me] for spiritual uplift.” I did, and it has.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Not Just for Show

“Ma’am!” the young man working in the back yard called. “Your sundial is in the shade! You can’t use it to tell time if it’s in the shade!”

“Oh, I don’t expect it to tell time,” I explained. “I only wanted something to decorate that old stump. It’s just there for show.”

“Just for show,” I mused. I wonder how much of my Christian demeanor is genuine, Spirit-directed, and useful for pointing to Jesus, the Light of the world—and how much is just for show?

Just for show. Can it be that some of the criticism directed toward Christian believers is justified? “You act superior,” someone says. “You act like no one has quite as good a connection to God as you have. You act as though some spiritual experience or accomplishment demonstrates your excellence in the Kingdom of God.”

Can this be true? Do we ever attempt to use the power and presence of God to prove somehow our own significance or superiority? This is so wrong! “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (II Corinthians 4:7 NIV)

It is true that God chooses a certain kind of person to be of value in the Kingdom, but it is not the “superior” kind that one might suppose! This is what the Apostle Paul says. “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose those who are low born [margin], things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. (I Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT)

It’s plain in the Scripture that nothing in God’s eternal plan is just for show. No manifestation of power, spiritual wisdom, gifts or graces is just for show. We are His workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” We were not designed to pose prettily, but to function effectively in sharing the Good News. Are we content to be part of the décor like my non-functional sundial, or will we give ourselves to purposeful ministry in the place God has put us?

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com