Who Are You in the Story

Another diversion the past few weeks was the final preparations for our women’s retreat. I have been on some level of the planning team for over ten years. It’s my favorite committee even though I often come home more tired than energized as the word “retreat” would frequently suggest. Last year I even took an extra day off work to rest after the retreat! Still, I find it hard to imagine not being involved. Inevitably, if you are in a bible study with a group of women, the story of Mary and Martha is bound to be used as an illustration at some point. I usually identify with Mary, in part because the last place that feels natural to me is the kitchen and I’m much more likely to be in another room, working a puzzle, on the computer, or plain ole’piddlin’. I’m really good at piddlin’. But I realized during this particular retelling of the story during the retreat that when company comes, I would probably head for the kitchen, not because I’m a Martha, but because I’m not a Mary either. Mary is the quintessential host, the one who stops everything she is doing and makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room. Mary is not idle as Martha supposes; she’s busily asking questions, making you comfortable, and listening for cues that help her find out what is important to you. I’m not a total introvert, and I think I’m a good listener, but after a few minutes in the sitting room I would probably find a reason to go to the kitchen where I could do something with my hands and appear busy. Not because the kitchen is my habitat, but it’s a haven. Whenever the options are A or B, my response is likely to be C.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You know us through and through and love us still. When we surprise ourselves with a new revelation, you nod, knowing all along our weaknesses and strengths, both disguised and forthright. Help us to work with, and through, our gifts and challenges. If you can create a pearl from a grain of sand, you can transform our minds and lives. Help us to discover the many talents in our congregation and recognize their unique purpose. We are thankful for those who are naturally welcoming and embracing like Mary and thankful for those who are actively feeding the hungry and mending brokenness like Martha. We are thankful for those who play on the ground with the youth and those who study into the night. We are thankful for those who share in song and joy and those who endlessly pray. We are thankful for the peacemakers, the dreamers, the prophets. We are thankful for those who yearn, even when nothing is clear. We are thankful for those who follow, even when it’s clearly an unknown direction. Let our response be “Thy will be done.” Amen.