Is it possible to serve too much?
Our initial “Christian-who-always-went-to-Bible-school” answer is probably “no”.
But Scripture seems to say otherwise. In Luke 11:38-42, Jesus is doing dinner with Martha and Mary. Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, delighting in his teaching and presence.
Martha on the other hand is having a freak out party. She’s serving like a maniac. A very angry maniac.
But Martha was distracted with much serving.
Martha wasn’t enjoying Jesus. Instead she was distracted with much serving. You and I probably would have applauded Martha and given her a golden “servant star”. Jesus, on the other hand, gently corrects her.
Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.
Martha’s problem wasn’t that she was serving. The problem was that her serving took her away from fellowship with Jesus.
In the same way, we serve too much when our serving takes us away from fellowship with Jesus. And we’re not just talking about Bible study and prayer. Fellowship with Jesus also includes fellowship with the saints.
What do you think? What does it look like to serve too much?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Good point about the words “distracted with much serving” and “troubled with many things.” You said it well, dude: Martha’s problem wasn’t that she was serving…[but that] her serving took her away from fellowship with Jesus.
I’ve observed two things about myself in relation to this text and serving: (1) I don’t have to be serving “a lot” to have a distracted and troubled heart in the midst of serving. Usually when I experience those kinds of things (which I would say is a tendency) it comes from either pride in wanting to be noticed/perform well, or from my attention being more on the circumstances I’m serving in rather the God I’m rendering service to. I would guess both of these things were struggles for Martha, based on how she appealed to Jesus (Luke 10:40).
And: (2) Because I tend to be lazy, sometimes my solution is “I need a break” instead of “I need Jesus”. Now those can definitely go together (hence personal retreats, fasting, Sabbaths, and other great spiritual disciplines), but it’s easy for me to turn to rest as the thing that will bring peace to my heart instead of God. So it’s been helpful, when I sense my heart is troubled or anxious, to reaffirm that it’s Jesus whom I’m serving and that it’s His grace that will strengthen me while I’m serving.
Just a few thoughts…thanks for posting!
Nate – Those are some great thoughts! I can totally relate to feeling like I need a break instead of needing Jesus. When I get burned out I often feel like I just need to watch a movie or something. What I need is to go the one who can truly refresh me.
Rick – I also have to battle pride when I’m serving. It’s sad, because in serving I’m trying to honor myself instead of the Lord. Which makes me grateful for grace.
Nice post. My experience growing up Baptist would lead me to think “you can never serve enough” but then I’ve grown to suspect some of my earlier “Baptist-y” views…
One aspect of this that I’ve seen in my life is a pride that rises from “over-serving”. I tend to jump in and get involved in ministry wherever my gifts can be used. Pride can set in and I can start to look at myself as better than others in the church that aren’t serving as much. The proper response to that would be to run to Christ, confess that pride, work to mortify this expression of pride in my life, etc., not necessarily to serve less. But as your article mentions there are valid reasons at times to serve less and/or let others serve.
“Over-serving” can also lead to an idolatry – worshipping the serving rather than the God whom we are serving. Serving can be a legalistic way to assuage our consciences. Or we can believe we are manipulating God because we are serving Him (“He’ll be kinder to me, I’m one of his productive servants!”). A Christian college I’m aware of has as their tagline “Because life is for service!” I don’t think that’s a valid summary of the purpose of life — I’d see service as part of life (an important part) but not the reason for our Christian life.
Great post Stephen. I really needed to hear that today. For me, serving becomes the “tyranny of the urgent” (I wish I could credit where I heard that phrase…) and I go through my to-do list saying to myself that I will be able to give my BEST to God and worship Him with the BEST of my filthy rags when my mind is clear after I finish all of my tasks. The list keeps growing and I keep pushing my time with God back further. Funny, I always pegged myself (in my pride) as a “Mary” when in fact I am a “Martha” through and through.
Audra – I’ve heard CJ Mahaney use the phrase “tyranny of the urgent” many times. I’m like you. I think I’m a Mary when in reality I’m a Martha.