While

driving my daughter home from school one day, I was getting

frustrated that a stop light was taking so long. She commented that

she wasn’t excited to drive when she got older. We talked about

that a bit, and I told her that while of course you have to be

careful, driving is fairly easy. You just can’t let yourself get

distracted.

In

our story today, Martha is described as distracted. Jesus was

teaching a group of people at her house, and Mary, Martha’s sister,

was listening to him. Martha was doing what anyone would do when a

group came to their home. She was making preparations to serve her

guests. She was being a good host! But when she complained that Mary

was not helping her, Jesus said Mary had chosen what was better. What

did that mean?

Well,

Martha was distracted by all sorts of things that had to be taken

care of. And those things were good and maybe even necessary. But

even good and necessary things can distract us from paying attention

to Jesus.

Money,

work, school, friends, and family are all good and necessary. But if

we let them take priority in our lives, are we loving God with all

our heart, soul, and mind? Today, when we have the Internet at our

fingertips, and if we have extra income to spend as we like,

discernment is needed, and we must be careful not to get distracted.

Are

there any things in life—even good things—that distract you from

following Jesus?