What Martha Missed: Jesus' Timeless Lesson on Priorities
Time is undoubtedly our most precious resource—one we can never get back once it's spent. In our fast-paced, constantly-connected modern world, the challenge of using our time wisely has perhaps never been more difficult or more important. As we explored in our latest podcast episode, the statistics around how we typically spend our time are genuinely startling: the average person dedicates approximately 2.5 hours every single day to social media scrolling, while Americans typically spend about eight years of their entire lifetime watching television. These numbers should give us serious pause as we consider how we're investing the limited days we've been given.
The biblical perspective on time management offers profound wisdom that stands in stark contrast to our culture's casual approach. When the Apostle Paul instructed believers to "look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of time because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16), he wasn't simply offering good advice—he was highlighting a spiritual imperative. This call to intentionality with our time is echoed throughout Scripture, including Jesus' own words in John 9:4 when he said, "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work." There's an urgency here that many of us miss in our day-to-day living.
Perhaps the most illuminating biblical example of time management comes from the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. When Jesus gently rebuked Martha for being "anxious and troubled about many things" while Mary sat listening at his feet, he wasn't condemning Martha's service itself. Rather, he was pointing out that Mary had "chosen the good portion" by prioritizing direct communion with him. This story perfectly illustrates a common modern dilemma—we often become so busy with good things (like Martha's hospitality) that we miss out on the best things (like Mary's spiritual attentiveness). It's not that Martha was doing something wrong; she simply missed the opportunity for something better.
A practical tool for evaluating our time usage is the Eisenhower Box, which divides tasks into four quadrants based on their importance and urgency. The most challenging category is often the "important but not urgent" quadrant—things like relationship-building, personal spiritual development, and long-term planning that don't demand immediate attention but yield significant value over time. Meanwhile, we tend to get pulled into the "urgent but not important" quadrant, responding to others' demands and perceived emergencies that don't actually align with our core values or purpose. The wisdom comes in learning to say "no" graciously to the non-important demands so we can say "yes" to what truly matters.
As we seek to become better stewards of our time, the central question becomes: "Is this activity drawing me closer to God or pulling me away?" This simple but profound filter can help us evaluate our schedules and make intentional adjustments. Small changes—like replacing 30 minutes of social media with meaningful conversation, prayer, or Bible study—can dramatically shift our spiritual trajectory over time. In fact, redirecting just the average amount of time spent on social media toward Bible reading would allow someone to complete the entire New Testament in a single week! The potential for transformation is enormous when we begin to view our time as the precious, God-given gift that it truly is.