Sometimes It Isn't About Giving at All

Over the last few months, the MOMS Ministry (Mothers Offering Mothers Support) at our parish read and discussed "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. The book uses the story (Luke 10: 38 - 42) of two sisters from Bethany to invite thoughtful consideration of our relationship with Christ.

"On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it."

I recognize myself in this Martha (the patron saint of housewives, for obvious reasons). I am often so busy with "doing" that I forget that Jesus is right there, waiting for me to listen.

Joanna Weaver offers a modern analogy that describes me to a T:
"Life is filled with Hula-Hoops. We all have responsibilities, important things that need our attention. If we're not careful, however, our hearts and our minds can be consumed with the task of keeping them in the air...It's easy to forget that while there is a time to work, there is also a time to worship -- and it's the worship, the time we spend with God, that provides the serene center to a busy, complex life."*

My calendar is full of committee meetings and volunteer commitments; I keep lots and lots of Hula-Hoops in the air. Too often, I am so overwhelmed by "giving" that I forget the importance of just sitting and listening to the Lord.

Most of us define Stewardship as giving. But Stewardship means more than that; it means managing our resources wisely. It isn't enough to share the gifts that God has given each one of us. We must also be sure not to waste those gifts. If we deplete our own resources, we'll have nothing left to share.

Like Mary of Bethany, we each need to renew our faith and replenish our resources through the most simple act of worship - through listening to the Word. Only then can we truly be good stewards of God's gifts.


*Excerpted from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver (WaterBrook Press)