"3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"
Today, while I was reading my Bible, I read these words. Jesus actually makes His point very clear here, He tells the story three different ways. He tells it this way, as a women with a lost valuable coin and also in the parable of the lost son. When I read these words every year, I have a hard time. I don't have as hard a time with the first two demonstrations as with the Lost Son version. My hard times come from my spoiled attitude that I have found I share with most of the "privileged" world. That attitude that says "I've worked for this and I deserve it over someone who hasn't worked for it". In fact, here in America we have things called Unions that make sure that if you work for something, you get it. It appears that, yet again, God's ways are not our own.
Look at what He's saying here, He's saying much the same thing throughout His public ministry as well. He tells us he didn't come to "heal" the well, but to save the sick and lost. When I read those other stories I rejoice, but the Lost Son parable and also the story of Martha and Mary always make me sad. I am sad because I know that I'm the "other child" in those stories. I haven't always been that other child, but I am now. I'm the child who works and works to get what they feel they deserve, and then has a hard time when someone else gets that "something" without doing anything for it.
The funny thing about my "hurt" and "issues" is that I'm not upset that those people are saved (the general illustrations are a metaphor for whom God saves; meaning everyone!), in fact I LOVE that God's arms are open to all who accept Him! After all, I wouldn't be who or where I am with out all of that, but it's the actual stories that haunt me. The real life part of the stories. It all comes down to my sense of fair. Most of the time, this sense of fair, is used when I see others being mistreated. I was told continuously as a child that I needed to walk a mile in the other persons shoes. I've taken this statement to heart, and will point it out to others too. For some reason, I have just never been able to apply this statement to these two particular instances in the Bible.
The story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) "38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” always has me concerned for Martha. How crushing would it have been to be Martha, or the older son in the first story? Tell me how you would feel if these things happened to you? I would be hurt and sad that the person didn't notice what I've been doing all along and noticed the other instead. I've always wondered, and prayed, that there was more to this conversation with Martha then was recorded. I've always wondered if Jesus didn't pull her aside and tell her how much He loved her and how much it meant to Him that she wanted to do those things for Him. But alas, we only have the recorded portion of that conversation, and I nearly cry for her every year.
I've been trying to read the stories from Jesus' perspective and sometimes I can understand what He's saying, but most of the time I end up thinking...man Mary just came off as spoiled there, her job was to help Martha and instead she neglected her duties to do as the men did and learn. Now I also feel jealous that she got to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn, who wouldn't? I guess I would just like Jesus to give some love to Martha as well.
It seems Martha shares my sense of fair, and if it's spoiled for me; that means she was spoiled as well. Again, I rejoice over and over that God has allowed His salvation to come to anyone, and that they can receive that salvation at any time. As part of my act of learning patience, I need to learn that I don't always need to have the recognition that comes with doing something. I need to learn that: 16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) and become the humble person God is seeking me to become!
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