Multi-tasking is not one of my strengths. I admire people who seem to do one thing while their mind is on another, as they speak on the phone about a third matter whilst jotting down notes about something else! Maybe you are gifted to live a multi-screen life…talking on the phone whilst watching the telly with your ipad open on your lap. Jesus had three friends called Lazarus, Mary and Martha. They lived in a village called Bethany, not far from Jerusalem. Lazarus is famous for having been raised from the dead, but Mary & Martha are even more famous. 

Why? Well, Martha was the classic multi-tasker in contrast to her sister who wasn’t. Martha was the active one whist Mary was the quieter one. At least this is how they have come to be portrayed over the years. In my vivid imagination I can hear Mary protesting over this caricaturisation of her life. She protests, wanting to remind us that she also did her fair share of the jobs. It’s just that she also knew when to stop and be still for a moment. In fact, Jesus recognizes this point and commends it. I know of many busy women who have a deep respect for Jesus who pull a face and bite their lips at his endorsement of Mary. What do you think?

As well as recognising the need for being busy, there is also a growing recognition that contemplation, meditation and mindfulness are also a healthy use of our time. In the busy whirl of the day we can certainly take in a lot of information from many sources. We register facts and file them, but we often now hear of people saying that they need time to ‘process information’. 

To know the teachings of Jesus is one thing; to process them is another. And sometimes Jesus’ words are so powerful that we need to go further than processing them. How long do you think it takes for a life-changing word to take root and transform our lives? 

Mary stopped what she was doing to sit for a while at Jesus’ feet. When Jesus commended her, he was not suggesting that being still is better than rushing. Jesus simply invites us to recognise the moment. There’s a time and place for everything within a healthy rhythm of life.