One Thing Only Is Essential

by Lisa King

“M aster, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.” The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her,” Luke 10:40-42 (MSG).

Isn’t this just like sisters or us girls in general? As you can tell, this has been going on since Bible times. Society always seems to want us to one up each other and boy do we want recognition for it! See Jesus, look what I’m doing and look what she is not doing!

ONE THING ONLY IS ESSENTIAL!

We have heard so much about the word essential lately. All of a sudden the word became more important than ever before. However, the true essential thing, God, has never or will never change. The definition of essential: absolutely necessary; extremely important.

We learned that what we really needed was food, medicine, and God! Mary in the Bible knew this all along. Why do we women try to put on our Superwoman cape and try to do it all? One day, I literally caught myself running in a parking lot because I had over-committed myself so terribly! There was no way I could have made each commitment. I thought to myself, this is ridiculous, why did you do this again? Only one thing is really necessary, Lisa, only one thing!

We think our Facebook friends, coworkers, and everyone we know have it together, perfectly all the time! Or am I the only one that tries to keep her cape from getting caught as she flies out the door? God has slowed us down and I think for an important purpose. Psalm 46:10 states, “Be still, and know that I am God.” God you have our attention. I pray we remember that only one thing is essential and that is you, Lord!

I had a precious friend and mentor, Cuma Bryant. She always seemed to be so calm and have it all together! I don’t know about you, but I can get a little flustered trying to keep my “I Love Lucy Superwoman” act going? I look a whole lot more like Lucy than Wonder Woman. As life gets faster and faster, I keep having to stuff candy in my mouth to keep up with the speed of life. One day I told Mrs. Cuma’s son that I admired her so much for doing every part of her life well. Something I greatly lack! He told me she always had ENOUGH of her to go around. I want to be that woman! I know where Mrs. Cuma got her “enough” from: being still before the Lord. She knew what was ESSENTIAL, vital, and important. One thing only is essential, my friends and that is to be still at His feet.

Won’t you join me and sit at His feet? That is the only thing that is essential!

About The Author

Lisa King is married to her husband, Paul. She has been blessed with two wonderful sons named Dalton and Alex. Lisa is a reading assistant at Michigan Avenue Elementary School and a member of Michigan Avenue Baptist Church, where she is honored to teach children’s church.