Choosing What is Better

Choosing what is better requires sacrifice, dedication, and discipline.

In Luke 10:38-42, a woman named Martha prepared her home to welcome Jesus into it. I can imagine she was cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, baking, and making sure her yard was pretty. She probably even had a to-do list to keep all of her tasks on track. Many of us can relate to Martha. She knew what needed to be done and wanted to be hospitable.

Mary, Martha’s sister, wasn’t bothered by the dishes in the sink. She wasn’t concerned about the preparations for Jesus’ visit. Mary was only focused on spending quality time with the Lord.

When Jesus, the sister’s special guest, arrived, Martha was tired of doing all of the work by herself. She desperately pleaded for Jesus to tell Mary to come and help her!

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” -Luke 10:38-40

Jesus responded to Martha in a way that was powerful and convicting.

“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 10:41-42

I’m sure Martha was shocked. She was the one preparing for Jesus, and He said Mary had chosen what was better.

How are we doing with choosing what is better?

Choosing what is better looks like reading God’s Word in the mornings before we check our phones.
Choosing what is better looks like writing a sweet card for a friend or sending an encouraging message instead of taking a nap.
Choosing what is better looks like making quality time with family a priority over personal hobbies.
Choosing what is better looks like giving our time, talents, and gifts each Sunday when it’s tempting to “let other’s do it”.
Choosing what is better looks like putting God first in our actions and not just in our words.

What does choosing what is better look like in your life?

The purpose of choosing what is better is to live for something today that will make a difference for eternity.

Life is such a special and exciting gift God has given to us. Each second we’re alive, there’s a purpose for our lives. We weren’t made for ourselves, material possessions, or significant others. We were made for God. We were made to know Him, love Him, and bring others to Him. Everything else our Father gives us in life is just extra.

I’ve been reminded that small daily compromises add up to huge downfalls. Our hearts have to be rooted in Christ daily. Our Daily Bread is our personal time with Jesus. The Bible mentions “Daily Bread” quite often. In Exodus 16:4, God said for the Israelites to gather their food only for the day they were living in. They weren’t allowed to store up food for the week ahead.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.”

Are you up for a challenge?

Instead of planning, let’s sit at the Planner’s feet
Let’s put God first with our actions and not just in our words
Decide what choosing better looks like for you
Strive to choose what is better every moment of your life
Invest into spending quality time with God daily and receiving your Daily Bread from Him