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Invite Martha and Mary to Your Party
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
Matthew 6:22
In another lifetime, I might’ve been an interior designer, known for blending unique flair with timeless concepts. In this lifetime, I’m a football coach’s wife.
It’s a wild ride…like living on a roller coaster! We create community along the loop-de-loops. New friends become family through anticipating climbs, exhilarating moments at the top, frightening drops, and the resilience to do it again. As fun as I find school spirit, game-day festivities, and the thrill of competition, the people we meet are by far the best part of our crazy world. Hosting players, student workers, support staff, and fellow coaches’ families in our home is my favorite way to fellowship.
Even before Pinterest and Hobby Lobby, I loved planning parties, setting picture-worthy tables, and curating magnificent menus. One Thanksgiving, I stacked a soup bowl on a saucer on a salad plate on a dinner plate on a charger, and I tied each place setting—sixteen total—with a satin bow holding a vibrant chintz cloth napkin and polished silverware. It was something!
It was also the day I realized it’s okay to prepare like Martha, so long as we’re present and focused like Mary.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her”
Luke 10:38–42
As we sat around the beautiful tablescape, everyone oohed and ahhed, exclaiming everything looked amazing…everyone except one of our players, who sat frozen in place.
“What is it, T?”
“I can’t eat.”
“Of course you can. Dig in,” I encouraged.
“Nah, this is too much. And I’d feel real bad if I broke something,” he said, shaking his head.
You see, T grew up with a houseful of siblings—some biological and some his parents had rescued off the streets in their small town. Food was always in high demand. T made it a habit to eat last. Sometimes he ate only what others left behind. He couldn’t fathom a table loaded down with so much. And piling all that food on fine bone china was unimaginable.
I’d created a table set for royalty. T was used to a table set for the King.
Amid the chaos of boisterous kids scrambling for whatever they could grab before someone else snatched it away, T’s mom served the Kingdom.
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies’”
Leviticus 23:1–2
Leviticus 23 outlines God’s instructions for the Sabbath and the seven feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:1–44). “The biblical feasts, rich in tradition and symbolism, reveal a tapestry of God’s redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.” Like those festivities, T’s mom pointed meals at her table to Jesus; she made him her centerpiece.
Meanwhile, that particular Thanksgiving, I created individual succulent-and-mum flower arrangements in miniature pumpkins that doubled as party favors.
What I offered wasn’t bad, per se. You should’ve seen the smiles that blossomed when I sent everyone home with homemade spice loaves. Our holiday meal brought joy to the day; that was a good thing. Coach and I welcomed guests into a loving home when they were far from their own families. We provided a memorable experience and a safe place to gather around the table.
Maybe I, too, served the Kingdom. But I could’ve done a better job balancing my creative preparations with the only thing that was needed. I could’ve juggled my inner Martha and Mary more successfully. I could’ve—and should’ve—placed Jesus at the center of my table.
Heavenly Father, as we gather, enjoying artful tables laden with festive decor and delicious food, shield us from distractions. Fix our eyes on Jesus. Help us slow down, find peace in your presence, and delight not in our accomplishments but in your blessings. In Jesus’ name, amen.
With love and hugs,
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