A Tale of Two Sisters

I attended the Women of Faith Conference this past weekend in Philadelphia. My friend and I attended so we could gather information for the work we are doing with women’s programming at our church. I haven’t been in years, but in true Women of Faith style, the program was top notch. The worship team and guest performers were amazing. There’s something about singing with 20,000 women that can bring you to the place where you are ready to see and hear what God needs you to see and hear. Comedian, Anita Renfroe, made us laugh so hard we cried! And as always, the main speaking team hit it out of the park. These women are the best public speakers I have ever heard. It’s clear they’re serious about what they do and what they communicate. They even look good, every single one of them, and I’d guess their ages range from 40 – 80!

Dramatist, Nicole Johnson, in character as “Tammy Jean” told the well known story in Luke 10:38-42, the story of Martha and her sister Mary. I’m sure every Christian woman, at some time, has heard the story of Jesus visiting the home of hard-working, but complaining Martha and her sister, Mary, the spiritual one, who just sat and hung out with Jesus. I’ve always believed the story was telling us that we have to be both Martha and Mary. We need to spend time with Jesus so that we can go out and represent him to the world.

However, this weekend I experienced the story in a different way. At a party at her own house, Tammy Jean cooked and cleaned and served the guests while her sister partied with the guests. Isn’t that like all sisters? She even pushed her way through the crowd and tried to get the guest of honor make her sister do something to help! The guest of honor tells her that while what she is doing is well and good, comparing herself to others and focusing on her own actions have made her miss what’s right there in her own living room. Tammy Jean’s focus on herself made her lose her focus on Jesus who was right there all along.

I don’t know how many of you are like me and Tammy Jean, but I do this all the time. I compare my efforts to the efforts of those around me. In my seven years in paid ministry I have done this a lot. I decide, in my mind, who is doing ministry the “right” way, you know, the way I would do it! In this passage from the Bible, Jesus makes it pretty clear that it’s not for me to decide who needs to do something and how it needs to be done. What happens when I do this is that I stop doing what Jesus wants and needs me to do.

Most of the time, I’m completely thrilled that I have the privilege to serve God and to serve people. I’m happy to be on a team with others who feel the same way. But truthfully, I’ve struggled with this way of seeing things for a long time. Thanks to Nicole Johnson and “Tammy Jean” for showing me an old story through a new lens so I can refocus.