Read Luke 10:38-42

In a New York Times opinion piece “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” Tim Kreider laments today’s culture of busyness. According to Kreider, we use busyness to make us feel better about ourselves: “Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness; obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.”

Today’s reading describes how Martha fell into the busy trap when Jesus came to town. Distracted from the Savior’s teaching by the details of hospitality, she complained to Jesus because her sister Mary was not helping. While Martha was making preparations, Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to Him teach. On the surface, Martha seems to make a strong case against her sister. Much work had to be done and Mary had left it all to Martha. Jesus was sympathetic to Martha’s distress, but He praised Mary for making the better choice.

Jesus’ reply suggests that busyness is a choice. We succumb to busyness when we willingly place ourselves under the tyranny of false necessity. Some preparation was needed in order to care for Martha’s guests, but Martha seems to have felt that more was required than was actually necessary.

We are attracted to busyness because it gives us the illusion of being indispensable. But this is often accompanied by resentment when others fail to pitch in and help. We are also attracted to busyness because we like to be in control. When we fall into the trap of busyness, we volunteer with a smile but serve with a grimace. Ministry does not give us a sense of joy. It makes us angry.

Resentment is an early warning signal that we have made the wrong choice and preferred busyness to being in Christ’s presence.

APPLY THE WORD

When you feel that you are both indispensable and angry about it, you have probably crossed the line from reasonable service to busyness. Take a moment to situate yourself at Jesus’ feet and ask Him to show you what is really needed. Thankfully, Jesus does not call us to toil miserably; He invites us to rest in Him.

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