THE POWER OF CHOICE (2)

“And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42 NKJV)

The choices you make reveal the quality of your character. You first make a choice and then the choice turns around to make you. God created us but through the choices we make, we build content and quality into ourselves. We can then say that our choices determine our character. “Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are,” is a popular adage in our society. The underlying principle in this adage is that you will only keep company with people that share a measure of commonalities of behaviour with you. You choose as friends people who are like you. It therefore holds that you choose according to your character.

Again, your choices reveal your cherished values. Human beings generally make choices that are in tandem with their values. Your values are a network of beliefs and convictions that determine the choices you make. Your values tell you why you do what you do. For instance, you confronted with a choice of watching a football match of your favourite team and going to Bible Study both of which are happening at the same time, your value system will determine which of the two activities you will choose. You develop your values by consistently choosing to behave in certain ways until such choices become part of your personality. By every choice you make, you announce your value to the public and beam your character on the billboard of the human society.

In our text, two sisters made independent choices on how best to receive an august guest who visited their home.  Just see how their independent and probably unpremeditated choices reveal their unique characters and values. Martha chose to fix a meal for their guest and make sure he ate something before He leaves. Mary rather chose to keep the guest company and engage Him in some discussions. Martha soon became overwhelmed with her busyness and accused her sister of indifferent complacence towards house chores. She in obvious anger lodged a complaint with their guest, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40 NKJV). Her appeal did not go through, as it seemed not to have impressed the Lord in any way. She got an answer that must have jolted here a bit. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha chose the way she welcomed the Lord to their home based on her values. She presumed that He must be famishing and would desire a meal more than anything else.  She was wrong! Jesus needed their companionship more than their services. The service that the Lord accepts is the one He bids you. Unless He sends you, stay put at His feet to listen to His word. The person who muses on the word of God is the one who will serve Him acceptably. Mary chose to sit at His feet to listen to His word. That did not mean that she did not serve the Lord. She did, but not out of busyness, but out of intimacy.

By habitually keeping company with the Lord, Mary came to discern His heartbeat and understood exactly what He needed. Our Lord was back at Bethany, this time as a guest to Simon the Leper. Mary came in with a bottle of very costly perfume and emptied all on Jesus. “But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me” (Matthew 26:8-10 NKJV).  How would you choose to serve God this year?  Out of presumption like Martha or out of intimacy like Mary? Choose intimacy!