February 9, 2012
Today’s Text: Luke 10:38-42
Today’s Key Thought: A wise steward of their time chooses the best over the good.
All of us make the decisions we make based on what is important to us at the time, but that doesn’t mean that we are being wise with our time. In fact, none of us intentionally choose to use our time for something unless there is some perceived benefit to using our time in that way. I sit on the couch and watch TV because I’m entertained and relaxed. With that being said, being wise with our time doesn’t mean that we just choose what is good. Being wise with our time means that we should choose what is best over what is good.
In today’s text we see 2 examples of how people were using their time. Mary was sitting with Jesus, while Martha was serving Jesus. It certainly wasn’t wrong for Martha to be serving Jesus. But when she criticized Mary for not helping, Jesus told her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Application:
When we couple yesterday’s teaching with today’s verses we begin to see something very interesting. If you are like me there are things you are doing with your time that are good, but if we are going to be wise with our time we should say no to these things so that we can choose the best.
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
What Mary did was the best because instead of serving Jesus she was right beside him and Jesus was the best choice so sometimes we need to push out the good things say no, and say yes to the best things that come around 🙂 hehe that was awesome I really liked it today so good job pastor Ben hehe! 🙂
good job mafalda
I probably would have done what Martha did too. She certainly meant well, but this is a good example of how most of us think we are doing good things, but really could be doing better. A lot of times we miss the main point. That is what I think Martha did. I am sure Martha was quite irritated with her sister for not helping her too. Typical siblings. This is just another great example of how we need to put Jesus first in our lives. Not wandering around aimlessly just being busy about the things of the Lord, but really seeking Him and listening to what He would have us to do on a daily basis.
Sometimes picking the good is the easy and convient choice rather than making an effort to the best choice. I have been learning how to choose the best over the good since I have scheduled my time more. It allows me to realize what the good and best are and make my choice rather than just choosing the good because I haven’t thought far enough ahead to what might be best. Each time I have chosen what was best I feel blessed for doing so. It’s made me much happier and I feel more accomplished in my life. I pray that I can continue to evaluate and see what is best with my time and honor God with those choices.
Mary did choose the good thing to do with her time, talk to Jesus!
What I learned is that I have to be smart with my time and make the right choices with our time like in Luke Martha was off cleaning and making every thing nice for Jesus but Mary was with God spending time with him that’s what we need to do with our time spend it with God.
This is like from the Margin series, we need to say no to the good things so we can say yes to the best things. And I sometimes settle for whats good when I can be investing in whats best.
Same here Ryan!! We always want to settle with the good things and not the best things. The best is better! 🙂 hehe love ya guys and see u at the yard sale !!! 🙂
Just doing things for God isn’t always best, we should be spending time with Him. Martha was doing a good thing by serving Him, but Martha was doing the better thing by spending time with Jesus. We don’t need to do the good, we need to do the best. Sometimes you feel like you’re doing a good thing but unless you’re asking God about it He might have something better in mind. This is where I am at in my life. I’ll even kind of defy God. Like “You know what God..I’m gonna do this awesome thing for you..What? Are you saying something? I’m gonna pretend like I don’t hear you and keep doing my ‘awesome’ thing” Haha..not good! I need to be asking God what thee BEST thing is and then..DO IT!
We need to be wise with our time and sometimes the choice that doesn’t seem like it would be best at first is in the long run!:) sorry. Meant to do this before I started school I already read it then but then I started school and didn’t get a chance but.. Hey I’m here now lol
I thought of exactly what Ryan said when he mentioned the margin series. I definetly need to be saying no to some good things in my life, so I can be saying yes to the best things. I have a hard time with managing my time and not getting overwhelmed. I’d like to say that I would be Mary in the story, but I could very well be Martha. It’s hard to determine what’s best sometimes, and that’s why it’s crucial to be in a constant relationship with God so we know what God has for our lives. Creating margins has been something new I’ve started to do, yet something I still need work on. Time is such a fragile thing, that we need to be taking wise care of. One thing you can’t make up is wasted time!