A few summers ago, before we had kids, my wife went out of town for a night to visit family. Being home alone, I decided to put the evening to good use and treat myself to a favorite meal. I drove to Walmart, where I picked up supplies to prepare my personal favorite: Weiner Schnitzel. I also bought a giant box of Waffle Crisp cereal and a tub of birthday cake ice cream. On the drive home I passed a Culver's and slipped into the drive-thru to grab a Double Deluxe. Then I dashed through McDonalds to pick up a Big Mac meal. I returned home, prepped the Schnitzel, laid out the rest of the smorgasbord, and ate EVERYTHING. Instead of eating one thing and enjoying it, I ate it all and my digestive tract paid the price later that night.
Here, with a third of the summer already behind me, I fear that I still haven't quite learned my lesson. Just like on that infamous night, I have filled my life to the brim, overwhelming myself with far more than I can handle. Of course, I've filled my summer with more than just food; our family is busy running the kids to soccer practices, trying to update the landscaping, planning for the upcoming school year, fretting over the perfect (cheap) vacation spot, setting up play dates, getting back into workout routines, reimagining our budget, serving at church, and keeping our heads above water at work, all while trying to pretend that we're healthy and happy. The truth, though, is that we're too full. Instead of doing a few things and enjoying them, we're doing everything, and paying the price by constantly flirting with exhaustion.
This reminds me of the story from Luke 10 about Mary and Martha, sisters and dear friends of Jesus. When Jesus came to visit, Martha buzzed around their house, preparing a big dinner (surely Weiner Schnitzel). Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus' feet, listening to him teach. They are the perfect picture of the contrasting choice we face: We can be frantically busy OR we can peacefully center our lives on Jesus. Trying to do both just doesn't work.
Of course, that fact annoys and frustrates us, just like it frustrated Martha. In Luke's story, Martha snips at Mary by complaining to Jesus. But Jesus calmly reminds her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)
So, what was the thing that Mary discovered, that I need to discover and share with my family? The answer, of course, is Jesus himself. Mary knew that Jesus—his character, his priorities, his company—was all that really mattered. The dinner could wait. The landscaping wasn't all that bad. The kids would be ok playing only one sport, rather than four. The only thing worth being concerned about was whether or not we have the brain space to focus on Jesus.
With that truth in mind, I'm committed to doing July and August differently. It's going to take sacrificing my fear of missing out and my seeming love of stress. But in the run up to the fall, we're going to double-down on what really matters: family devotions, showing love to our neighbors, and praying for and with our small group members. Will you join me?
