“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42, NIV)
Good, it has been said, is the enemy of best.
With that in mind, let’s get a few things clear:
1. Good is not bad. “Good enough” is not even always bad. If I tell you that I am a 10-handicap on the golf course and that for me that is “good enough,” there would be nothing wrong with this comfort point for me. After all, I am not a professional golfer, and the trade-off in making my good-enough golf better would be the sacrifice of something more important in my life. In a world where there are far more choices than there is time for all the choices, “good enough” is often just fine.
2. Good comes in many forms. If I sit in my study on an early morning and study God’s Word, that is good. If you, on the other hand, go to the local coffee shop and meet with a couple of friends in the faith for a discussion of how your walk with Christ is progressing, that too is good. I may be the better studier and you may be the better discipler of others, but our strengths are not at odds.
3. To be the very best requires a unique combination of skill, vision, dedication, and—we’ll say it—sacrifice. Yet no one can sustain this all the time. In fact, it would be unhealthy to do so. Thus, to be the best (or just our best), we must sometimes do things that are only good, such as taking a restorative nap or enjoying a leisurely meal.
But all that said, the truth remains: your good may get in the way of what is best.
When Jesus and his disciples came to Bethany, Martha was busy at doing good. She was cleaning her home, planning a meal, making the beds. All good things. But no good sense of what was really happening around her. Jesus had come!
In trying to sort through the many preparations, Martha was sure she had it right. This was her strength, her calling, her gift to those who had come. So she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, shouldn’t my sister Mary be helping me in all this? Isn’t this the work that matters?”
Into this moment, Jesus struck the note of balance. “Martha,” he told her in essence. “I’m here. Mary has slowed down enough to recognize this. Can you?”
This is not to put words in Jesus’ mouth. Rather, this is to put thoughts in our heads. What are we justifying as good in our lives—even so much as to deem it “our ministry” or “our calling”—to the detriment of our very relationship with Jesus? In Christ’s kingdom, whoalways trumps how. Your work for him will only flourish if it is done with him, by him, and unto him. When he is what fills our eyes and our hearts and our minds, everything falls into place in perfect balance. And that is always very good.
—
Jeff Hopper
April 1, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THE CALLING SERIES
Calling, Part 1: Identity First
Calling, Part 2: Response and Readiness
Calling, Part 3: Is It God?
Calling, Part 4: Lacking a Caller
Calling, Part 5: Your Specific Destiny
Calling, Part 6: Sovereignty and Calling
Calling, Part 7: Looking Forward, Looking Back
Calling, Part 8: God’s Confirmation, Our Confidence
Calling, Part 9: Aliens and Ambassadors
Calling, Part 10: Excellence in Our Calling