Good is the Enemy of the Best

It happens every year yet it seems to sneak up on us so subtly.

Busyness; get ready, here it comes!

To already too busy lives we will add, over the days ahead, myriad events, programs, parties, shopping trips and decorating tasks bringing us to the inevitable. There is a cost to busyness. Actually, the costs to busyness are many. The difficulty is that we are so accustomed to being busy that we can ramp-up to new levels with seemingly little effect. The costs of busyness deal with depth and faith and peace. These are the things that are sacrificed at the altar of busyness.

… the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17

Wisdom and busyness are enemies. One simply cannot have both.

Unlike many of our friends and neighbors, we have bee give a choice; we have options. If we fail to choose, we will default to the natural and the natural will always choose to be busy.

Consider choosing wisdom!

Come to Me, Jesus said, …and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The only chance we have to make a wise choice for wisdom is to center in His rest.

Jesus and His followers were traveling one day. As the day drew to an end they entered the city where Lazarus, Mary and Martha lived. Having a long-standing friendship with the family, He was invited to their home.

Unexpectedly, the demands of the household changed instantly. There were people to care for, things to do, and task after task to be completed.

Scripture makes the following statement: But Martha was distracted with all of her preparations.

“Distracted?” many of us say! There were guests to be cared for, food to be prepared, places to sleep to be found, water to be brought; too much to do!

To Martha’s plea for her sister’s help with the burden, Jesus replied, Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part…

There it is but it is very hard to hear! There is really only one thing that makes a difference; all the rest are the details.

Notice that Jesus didn’t say that the things of concern for Martha were “bad” things. He simply stated the truth that there are good things and there are better things! He encourages each of us to choose the better things.

We will all have many good things presented to us over the days ahead. Jesus invites us to choose to include the better things. By choosing the better things, the remainder of the good things will take on their proper importance and urgency.

Choose the better things!