Don't get be wrong. Having work to do is a blessing. Having a job is a blessing. However, having three projects with the same deadline is . . . insane.
The problem with having too many things to do is that other things tend to take a back seat. Important things like family, spouses . . . and God. Those who chose to sacrifice the important things I just mentioned in favor of work, I feel, are making a mistake. THEY are the insane ones.
I noticed a few things about myself this week during my work-a-thon. I came home depressed on a few nights. Anxious. I imagined what it might be like to have a heart attack. I didn't really want to find out. My stomach was been feeling out of sorts. In addition to these physical symptoms, I was also neglecting friends at work, my wife at home, and, most importantly, my time with God.
Wednesday night I spent time talking with a young friend from my youth group days. She has a 18-month old little girl who keeps her mommy and daddy very busy. As I listened to my friend tell me about her day I wondered, "I thought I was busy! How can this young mom find any time for God with all the things she is doing?" I should have taken my words as advice to myself this week. I'm such a Martha. Or maybe it should be Marty for us guys. Read this story about what it means to be a Martha in the Bible.
"38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10: 38-42
Jesus was "the good portion" in Mary's life. Service was the not so good portion in Martha's. May we never place our God in the back seat for anything.
During my prayers this week I spoke about my deciding to not working overtime, even though it was offered to me. I put my foot down at work and decided the lure of extra money wasn't worth the cost. It wasn't some statement coming from an old man thinking about retirement. It was from a follower of Jesus not wanting to diminish the importance of his King.
This life is short enough. It can be made even shorter by ignoring the important things in life. Our jobs are temporary. Our life with Jesus is eternal. Where do you think we should place OUR emphasis?
We are told in Colossians 3:23 to "work hard at our jobs, as if working for the Lord," but nowhere does it say that we should place our jobs above God or give more importance to them than we should. In fact, the Bible speaks against it.
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." - Matthew 6:24
Finally, I was reminded of a song as I wrote this. Here's a line from the chorus.
"It seems such a waste of time. If that's what it's all about. Mama if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out. I'm movin' out."
Moving Out - Billy Joel
No comments:
Post a Comment