Our One Thing
Rich Mullins had a song that I still love today twenty some odd years after I first heard it. It’s called My One Thing.
As the title implies, Mullins suggests in the song that there is nothing else that he could hope in. Jesus is the One Thing that his hope lies in..
I think this is what Jesus was trying to tell Martha when she complained about Mary not helping when he was a guest in their house.
Do you remember that story from Luke 10?
Martha is scurrying around trying to make sure that everything is perfect, the meal completed and the table ready. Mary is seated in front of Jesus listening to what He is saying.
Martha gripes to Jesus about it.
Jesus’ answer to her is that she was worried and bothered about many things. He tells Martha that only one thing is necessary and that Mary had chosen it.
Can you imagine Martha’s reaction? Here is what I think it could have been.
Say what?!?!
I think a lot of people admire Martha, and for good reason. Someone had to fix the food and the table. Someone had to make sure Jesus was fed. There is no problem that I can see in what Martha was doing.
So what was the problem?
I think it is twofold.
She put her expectation for herself onto Mary. She felt that her service had to be matched by her sister. She didn’t believe that Mary could serve Christ in some other way than how Martha was.
But that’s not the whole story.
Jesus told Martha that she was worried and bothered by so many things.
Her focus wasn’t on Christ. There was not anything wrong with what she was doing. The problem was that she wasn’t doing it all for Christ. She was doing it all for herself. She was focused on the food and the table. Her goal was to make herself look good. She wasn’t focused on her Lord.
Jesus called her on it.
Her one thing was not the same One Thing as Mary’s.
How often do you find yourself in that situation? Me? Too often.
How often do you lose focus on Christ, even in the middle of good work? Even in the middle of church work? I know I do.
It doesn’t matter if you write a blog, manage a team where you work or lead at church. There is One Thing that needs to be the center and focus of what we are doing.
How often do we all lose focus on our One Thing?
Well just quit writing and go to preaching, why don’t ya! Lol! Honestly though, this is my biggest struggle. Recently our pastor said in a sermon, “the devil knows your weaknesses. He knows just where/how to attack you.” I wrote in my notes, “yep. Distract me. Get my eyes off Jesus.”
Good reminder today! Thanks.
I actually do “preach” at a campground from May thru October
Yes, good reminder. I think it’s easy to get distracted – like how dogs get distracted by squirrels.
Or bacon
Well just quit writing and go to preaching, why don’t ya! Lol! Honestly though, this is my biggest struggle. Recently our pastor said in a sermon, “the devil knows your weaknesses. He knows just where/how to attack you.” I wrote in my notes, “yep. Distract me. Get my eyes off Jesus.”
+1