A Team!

Those that read my recent message on Mary and Martha may be wondering, where did "Mary" and "Martha" go from there? Are they working together for the Kingdom of God, or is there division as they go their separate ways, thinking their way is the only way to get anything done for Jesus? Are they on the same team, or opposite sides of the field?

You are jealous of one another and quarrel
with each other. Doesn't that prove you are
controlled by your own desires? You are
acting like people who don't belong to the
Lord. When one of you says, "I am a follower of
Paul," and another says, "I prefer Apollos," aren't
you acting like those who are not Christians?
1 Corinthians 3:3-4

When we don't understand each other, don't we quarrel? When we think someone is not doing their part to carry the load, don't we want to pout and complain and sometimes even stomp off in a huff vowing never to offer our "services" in the same way ever again? We feel used, and abused, and taken for granted.

And yet, how do we know what someone else is thinking or doing and how it may be worthwhile for the kingdom of God?

No one can know what anyone else is really thinking
except that person alone, and no one can know God's
thoughts except God's own Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:11

In 1 Corinthians 3:12-14, it talks about building upon the foundation of Christ and the materials that may be used i.e.: gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. It talks about the time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. Some work will be burned up, and the worker will suffer a great loss. Some work will survive the fire and the worker will receive a reward. When the work is burned up, the builders themselves will be saved, but it will be a narrow escape.

Who judges this work done by the workers? God himself, on judgment day. And who alone knows what work is valuable, what hearts are sincere, but God himself. We cannot judge another just because their work is different than ours, but we should work together, using the gifts we have been given to help each other in their work.

Yesterday, I was "fluffing" Christmas trees. What is that, you may ask? Well, it is the "art" of taking an artificial tree that has been sitting all year, probably in a box, and bringing some life back to it. Taking each limb and making sure it is in its proper place, and then bending and shaping the branches to make them look as real and natural as possible. It's not a hard job, it's not an important job, it's certainly not a job that is on the list of "Who's Who" in America, and what they have contributed to this holiday season, but it is a job that needs to be done by someone. I happened to be doing this job in my friend "Martha's" church. (See "Even Mary's Need To Rest" message on just who "Martha" is in my life.)

There we were, "Mary" and "Martha," working side-by-side fluffing Christmas trees to prepare the church for their annual Christmas musical extravaganza! Was this work made of straw, gold, silver or perhaps wood--not literally, but in the eyes of God? What possible good could this "fluffing" do for His Kingdom? In the world's eyes, it would probably rate very low on the value scale.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters,
that few of you were wise in the world's eyes,
or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.
Instead, God deliberately chose things the world
considers foolish in order to shame those who think
they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless
to shame those who are powerful. God chose things
despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all,
and used them to bring to nothing what the world
considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the
presence of God.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Who would ever boast about fluffing Christmas trees? Is there any real value in that? Isn't there something much more important, much more valuable to be doing for the Kingdom of God? There has to be...but is there?

As my friend and I were busy about our work, we were joined by another, and as we worked along, I was asked the simple question by her, "What are you doing here in Florida?" I answered this very simple question with great wisdom and knowledge..."I'm not really sure," I said.

Of course my friend "Martha" joked that I had come to spend time with her, which is undoubtedly true, but we both knew as we fluffed away, that that was not the whole truth and nothing but the truth, God has a purpose for each day, and for each person we meet along the way. When we desire to do His will, there is much more to it than a fun visit between friends, although God provides times for that also! But sometimes, "Mary" and "Martha" have a job to do and they work as a team, and their individual gifts can work mightily together, if allowed to.

Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and
Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who
made it grow. The ones who do the planting or watering
aren't important, but God is important because he
is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who
plants and the one who waters work as a team with
the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually,
according to their own hard work. We work together as
partners who belong to God.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Mary and Martha are partners. They both have a job to do, one is not more important than the other, only God "is important." He makes the seeds grow, Mary and Martha only plant and water.

Can't you just see it, Martha is out there hoeing and digging and preparing the soil, getting it all ready to dig the holes for the seeds and then placing them in the ground, covering them with the soil, sweating under the hot sun but satisfied with all that she has accomplished on that day. She's been very busy!

Then along comes "Mary" with her watering can. Sun bonnet on, glass of tea in one hand, watering can in the other, as she gently pours streams of water on all the hard work that "Martha" has done. No sweat on her brow, no dirt on her knees and hands, just a peaceful watering job that needs to be done after the planting has been completed.

Is "Martha" frustrated? Is she beside herself with all the work she has been called to do in preparation for the watering done by "Mary?" Should she be?

Is this world, yes, absolutely. It is not fair. The work is completely uneven. Martha has put in all the sweat, all the labor, only to watch Mary pour some water on it and enjoy the fruit of their labor together.

But God has not called us to live in this world as others do. He has called us to a higher purpose, to focus on what is eternal, and what will last.

So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the
Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful.
When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets
to light and will reveal our private motives. And then
God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.
1 Corinthians 4:5

No one knows what Mary has been doing while Martha tended to the field in preparation for watering. No one except God, because He is the One who has been preparing Mary to water what has been planted. He has had Mary away in the "field of hard knocks" being filled with Living Water. He has taken her "watering can" and shaped it and molded it and prepared it so the water that flows out of it is Holy Spirit Water, not just ordinary water. "So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful."

As we fluffed our trees here in Florida, and as we spend our time together, it is becoming very obvious to me that "Martha" has prepared this field for "Mary" to water. She has worked tirelessly with the people here in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. She has been prayerful and asked for prayer from so many of those at her church for our lives. She has poured her time, her energy and all that God has enabled her to do to help us through what has been the most difficult time in our lives. From a distance, since we lived in California, she has plowed and sweated and planted until the time of our arrival here, and now that we are here, "Martha" can rest. She can enjoy the fruit of her labor, as she gently guides "Mary" to where she needs to go. To where seeds have been planted, and need watering.

As we fluff the trees, "Martha" interjects with, "This is my friend 'Mary' who lost her son. The one we have been praying for."

"Mary" smiles to herself and is thinking, I'm not just here fluffing trees, am I God..."

And then "Martha" goes into the "house" while "Mary" waters the seeds "Martha" set in place. Not with earthly water, but with Living Water.

When we tell you this, we do not use words of
human wisdom. We speak words given to use by the
Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual
truths.
1 Corinthians 2:13

The "watering" is nothing more than an outpouring of all that God has done and continues to do through great hurt in our lives. It is a sharing of the power and might of a God that can heal a completely broken heart. It is a time for believers to come together and share their greatest pain and encourage one another to keep moving forward, to not give up and to know that we truly have a living hope to hold on to.

This is "Mary's" job. She's not just "fluffing trees," that is becoming quite obvious as time goes on. There is watering to be done in a variety of situations here, and "Martha" is tasting the fruit of all her labor-and it is sweet. "Mary" and "Martha" are working as a team like never before, and it is good, and they can see that:

This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest
of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger
than the greatest of human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:25

All the months and years of struggle that "Martha" watched from afar-all the years that she prayed for "Mary" in the times of trials, and shared about the struggles and loss "Mary" was going through with those in her own church many miles away from "Mary," is now starting to blossom into a beautiful garden. "Mary" is now able to be here and to share what God has done. To bring a face along with a story of God's amazing power, and to encourage those who have their own difficult trials in their lives. To listen to their stories and to share in their hurts and to help each other along in whatever way may be needed because of the very power of God that transforms lives.

Dear brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I didn't
use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message.
For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his
death on the cross. I came to you in weakness-timid and
trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain.
I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit
was powerful among you. I did this so that you might
trust the power of God rather than human wisdom.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5

I am out of my comfort zone here. I am away from all that is familiar to me, my own church family back in California--the friends that I love, the family that I miss, and the streets that I know so well. I am not here full of strength, calm and poised and knowing what each day holds. Timid and trembling are much more like it, weak and needing to lean on God as never before pretty much sums it up. It would be easier to have just stayed put, but to think of all that we would have missed had we remained, when God was telling us to go...He truly does know what's best--and in God's great plan, He makes a way.

As the Scriptures say,
"The person who wishes to boast should boast only
of what the Lord has done."
1 Corinthians 1:31

Should Martha boast in her hoeing and in her digging and in her planting? Should Mary boast in her watering and in the seeds that sprout up long after, during the harvest? Absolutely not! God alone makes the seeds grow, He alone prepared the way and called the workers that were needed.

Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause
of such quarrels? Why, we're only servants.
Through us God caused you to believe.
Each of us did the work the Lord gave us to do.
1 Corinthians 3:5

Who is Martha and who is Mary? Why should there be quarreling between them about who is doing what? Who is preparing the ground, and who is watering the seeds? Both are only servants, doing the work the Lord gave them to do.

As we continued to fluff the trees and "Martha" ran to and fro getting electrical cords ready so the artificial trees could be plugged in and set in place, "Mary" stayed and quietly talked with the other worker God had called that day into service. As we two workers shared our lives with each other, words were "given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths." (1 Cor. 2:13) As we two workers shared of losing loved ones just two years ago and the difficulty there is in facing Thanksgiving and Christmas when it is intertwined with those loses, God was working. He was making seeds of hope and joy grow as only God can do. He was allowing what hurts most to bring those He loves into a closer relationship with Him. He was most "important" in all the work being done that day! And He is good!

When "Martha" returned with electrical cords and found "Mary" and her co-worker sharing about the good things of God, the question, "What are you doing here in Florida?" had found an answer...

"Martha," I know why your friend is here..."

"Martha" let out a little laugh and with joy in her heart, she simply said, 'I know...'"

The joy between the "sisters" was beyond words. They were a team! God was using them to plant and to water, and then He was making those seeds grow.

"Mary" and "Martha" have two different ways of working, two different ways of walking through this world and two different ways of serving God, but in the end, they work together for good because they love the Lord.

Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
1 Corinthians 3:5

Living in His peace and joy in Florida,

Diane