From the Desk of the Associate Pastor

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” — Luke 10:41

Once springtime rolls around, I really feel like I get going. There is no shortage of chores to do around the house and outside to get ready for spring and summer. I thoroughly enjoy this time of year, so I put my nose to the grindstone getting my house ready for summer. I pride myself on keeping my lawn relatively nice and well maintained.

When I think about spring and cutting grass, I think of my grandfather, who died in 2017, and how I used to help him take care of his lawn. He became widowed in 2007, and it nearly broke his heart. My grandfather was a “hold your cards close to your chest” kind of guy. He was not outwardly emotional about his grief. As his health began to decline, he could no longer care for his property the way he wanted to, so he asked his teenage grandson to help him.

I started working summers for him in sixth grade, but by the time I was nearing the end of high school, I became very busy with activities and spending time with friends. My grandfather’s calls for me to come cut the grass seemed to become more and more frequent. I even wondered if he was watering the lawn just so it would grow faster. I could not figure out why he would call two or three times a week about his lawn. Then it hit me: this was never really about the lawn. I remember one day sitting down with my grandfather when he said, “Andrew, you have no rest in your behind.” I asked him what he meant. He replied, “You are always going and going. Sometimes you need to slow down and smell the
roses.”

The same thing rings true—perhaps even more so—for Martha, who is so frenetically busy that she forgets Jesus (God in the flesh) is right before her. Jesus seems to be telling Martha to slow down. What if we all need to slow down and smell the roses? I know it is easier said than done, but that should not stop us from trying. God has gifted us with life and people to love, and I want to cherish that wonderful reality. Too often, the world has us chasing money, status, and importance. Even in retirement, we find plenty of things to stay busy with. There is nothing wrong with any of that, but we still need to stop and smell the roses. I think back to my grandfather and how much I cherished drinking Gatorade with him on his breezeway porch after cutting the grass. I miss him every day. During baseball season, the urge to call him and rant about the Phillies is still strong—even after ten years! Let us not forget that God has placed people in our midst to love and cherish.

Mary chose to sit at the Lord’s feet and listen which is something we so often miss when we fill every moment with activity. Most importantly, Christ is always in our midst, reminding us to slow down, enjoy the relationships we have, and serve the world with gladness in our hearts.