Did your mind automatically begin thinking about the chocolate covered candies that have been around for years, some filled with peanuts, and can satisfy a sweet tooth?
I know I did.
I happen to love them. They are one of my top 3 favorite candies of all time.
Especially the ones with the peanuts. 
You ever wonder what M & Ms stand for? I never did until I started writing this post so I decided to look it up. They were named after two business partners, Mars and Murrie, who decided to brand their product.
While this may have been an interesting fact, unfortunately, this isn’t a post about the candy, or these men for that matter. Instead, it is about two women or a group of two types of women who could also be referred to M&M’s.
Yesterday, I asked you to come back and find out about some women who had the same struggles we have today. If you missed the first half, you can read it here.
Let’s take a journey together as we discover the beauty behind being and becoming.
In a small town of Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem, a carpenter’s son, known to many in the region as Jesus Christ, was visiting His friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, who were all siblings. As would many women who have found themselves entertaining guests at their house, there was a lot of activity taking place, probably before and even after the special Houseguest arrived. I mean it was the King of kings so He wasn’t your ordinary houseguest.
Martha, whose name means “lady of the house” busied herself with preparing for her special guest. She was distracted by all of the tasks she had to do. It was clear based on what she asked Jesus that she was frustrated because she had no one, specifically her sister, to help her.
On the other hand, Mary, whose name means “wise woman”, took a different approach. Instead of busying herself with the tasks Martha was occupied with, she saw an opportunity to be a part of something she considered more important-sitting at her special Houseguest’s feet, to simply just “be” and to listen.
Although Martha probably wanted Jesus to side with her or reprimand her sister, instead He responded like this:
My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.
Jesus commended Mary for sitting at His feet and discovering the one thing worth being concerned about. He also brought to Martha’s attention that she was worried and upset over all these tasks, i.e. distracted, which caused her to miss this one thing. While Martha got ahead of herself in trying to do, Mary grabbed a hold of this “one thing”-to be and spend time listening to her Creator.
Sometimes our doing can distract us from being and becoming. We can become so caught up in trying to do so much that we miss that one thing-sitting at the feet of Jesus.
I am sure if I knew Jesus was coming to my house, I probably would have wanted to make sure everything was right and in order. I would have busied myself with His arrival too, focusing myself on serving my Master and doing everything I could to make His visit memorable. After all, I am a task-oriented kind of girl, just like Martha.
Yet when I stopped long enough to read this very familiar passage again, in the midst of the busyness of life and never-ending tasks, the Lord spoke these words to me:
Sit so you can serve better.
I was becoming so worn out, frustrated and worried with the doing and all the details happening around me that I had missed the one thing too-sitting at His feet. Yet, it is here that we get fueled, where we can just be and allow Him to show us who we are becoming.
The truth is sometimes I spend and waste a whole lot of time doing and not enough time being and becoming more of the person I was created to be like. Slowly, I have come to realize that focusing on the latter-taking the time to sit at His feet and listen-allows me the opportunity to determine what I should or should not be doing. As I am discovering the beauty of being and becoming, the doing comes naturally and is easier.
When we sit first, He is able to assist us with prioritizing and managing the tasks and responsibilities from day to day.
I find that I am not as worried, frustrated or distracted as Martha was that day when I sit first.
You cannot truly serve anyone better until you have first learned to sit with Him.
Become Mary first and then fulfilling the role of Martha will be less burdensome and more rewarding.
Reflection:
Where do you fall?
Who do you identify more with: Martha or Mary?
Have you become so busy and caught up in the doing, that you, too, have missed the one thing?
Could that be why you are so flustered, worried and worn out?
How long will you sacrifice and forsake the gift of being present with Him, family, friends and loved ones for the sake of getting things done?
What has it already cost you?
Lady In Waiting 222 
Beautiful description of martha and mary which draws an awesome clear example of how we tend to be more like Martha. I am very much moved with your writing. Thank you very much for sharing! God bless you.
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting sis! It is so easy to get into the doing, but the Lord wants us to be first and sit so we can do better. Please be sure to share if you think this will bless anyone else.
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