I had a vivid dream last night.   Some of our family was home, and a few of my best girlfriends had come to see me, all at the same time – and I wasn’t even sick!  Ha!   However, my family was with friends and my girlfriends decided my house needed cleaned, laundry needed done, and food needed cooked.  There were some weird things – you know how dreams are – like the toilet paper roll was way up on the ceiling.   Where did that come from?!?!  You would have to be 10 feet tall to get to that thing!

But the essence of the dream was clear.  Nobody had time for me.   I begged them to just come talk to me – we didn’t have much time! They would for a few seconds or couple of minutes, and then go right back to cleaning and cooking and their other peeps.

I woke up immediately, it seemed.  That’s another thing about dreams…you never know if it’s immediately, if it lasted 2 hours or 2 seconds, if it was real or….oh, was it real?

Different from other dreams, I could recount this one.  For a moment I was sad – at first for myself.  But then – then the story of Jesus with Mary and Martha came to mind.   The account in Luke 10 haunts me, I have to tell you.   I like things to be just so when I’m having company and could easily side with Martha.

Luke 10:40 reads, “But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities…”    AND WHO WAS SHE SERVING? JESUS, OF COURSE!!!!   She was SERVING Jesus.   Something we’re told we need to do, should do, ought to do.  We’re guilted if we’re NOT doing!

But Jesus, very gently, shows Martha the better way by admonishing and lovingly correcting her; Mary had chosen the better way.

Two ways – to do or to be.   To serve or to sit at someone’s feet…namely Jesus here.   To be busy or be with.   Presence or preparing.   Distracted or focused on another.

I believe there are two lessons here.   First, God wants us.  Not what we can DO for Him, but what we ARE to Him.  We are His treasured possessions, His people and He wants to be our God.   Do you take time to just spend it with Him; Absorbing His word, silent in His presence, listening for His direction?

Secondly, how are you with people?  People you love, people you don’t like?  Those who are easy to be around, those who are needy?   Remember, Jesus also said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  (Matt. 25)