My son is 16. Sometimes I forget because he can banter with adults; hold his own in a variety of social settings; and has attended three high schools in two states and two countries, finishing with outstanding grades, lovely friends and a pleasant demeanor.
But my son is 16 and, in case I ever forget, his bedroom provides the proof. Usually I just shut the door and pretend that the space doesn’t exist. But one day last week I just couldn’t take it anymore. No matter how much I tried to deny or ignore, forget or repress, I knew what was behind that door — my phenomenal son and his astonishing mess.
I peeked in and saw him sitting at the computer surrounded by school papers, college admission papers, a garbage can (or two) overflowing with empty bags of chips and laundry strewn everywhere (dirty? clean? who could tell?). And the icing on the cake: his pet chinchilla had kicked up a mess of dust, food and other unmentionables that completely covered one corner.“
Seth! This is unbelievable …,” I started in. Before I could gather a full head of steam, he swung around toward me.
“Mom. Mom! Do you really think I want to live this way?”
For a moment I had forgotten what my son is juggling right now: advanced placement classes, marching band, the school play, speech and debate — and on it goes.
He was doing all he could to keep it all together, and that didn’t include the laundry. And am I really any better for all of my lecturing and hectoring? I’m juggling, too, just hoping that I can keep it all together, keep the laundry done, the refrigerator stocked and the bills paid — and on it goes.
Do you think we want to live this way?
Our lives are full of clutter. Physical clutter, yes, and mental clutter too. Are these the lives to which we are called to live as Christians?
Do we really want to live this way?
More importantly: Does Jesus really want us to live this way?
In Luke 10, we read the familiar story of Jesus visiting his dear friends Mary and Martha. Martha is a lot like my son Seth, a lot like me and maybe a lot like you. Martha has a life cluttered with many things, many tasks. And Martha is frustrated. She’s working hard. She wants everyone around her to be working hard too.
But Martha’s sister, Mary, has different priorities. Mary sees right through the busy clutter of life, right through to what Jesus calls the “one thing,” the “better part.” Listening, learning, worshiping and spending time with the Lord — that is Mary’s focus, not the other clutter that takes up our time, eats up our money and lays waste to our souls.
Do we really want to live this way?
Do we really want to work longer and harder … so we can buy newer and bigger stuff … so we can clutter up our space and time … so we can be too busy to listen, learn, worship and spend time in Christian community?
Do we really want to live this way?
Or are we called to lay aside the clutter and sit at the feet of Jesus? Maybe you have heard of the Protestant work ethic. Hard work and frugality, diligence as duty. If you’re like me, maybe the Shaker phrase “Hands to work, hearts to God” seems to have been taken right out of the Scriptures, right along with cleanliness is next to godliness (that one isn’t in the Bible either).
A little later in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus reminds us of the lilies: they neither toil nor spin — they just are. And they just are beautiful.
Martin Luther said: “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.” Do our hearts cling to busy schedules and cluttered lives? Or do they cling to the promises of and the relationship with Jesus?
Maybe it’s time to declutter our lives, to refocus on “the better part.” Maybe it’s time to be a little less Mary, a little more Martha: to simplify and organize, not so that we can “do more with less!” — but simply so we can do less and be more.
Do we really want to live this way?
I pray that we — my son, myself, my family and all of you — may be inspired to declutter, refocus and embrace the one who calls us to sit at his feet and reminds us: “There is need of only one thing,” not two, 10 or a 100 things.
One thing.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
