Choosing what is good

When Nikita Khrushchev made his first visit to America, he was escorted to a football game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. Khrushchev didn’t know a thing about football, but he took his seat in the stands and watched the entire game. When it was over, he was asked, “Mr. Khrushchev, what did you think of this great American pastime?” He truthfully responded, “Never have I seen such first-class passion and energy wasted on a third-rate cause.”

We spend so much energy, so much passion, so much emotion on third-rate causes. They’re not bad things. They’re just not the best things. Sports. Recreation. Entertainment. Travel. Furnishing our homes. Improving our appearance. What if we took a fraction of that energy and transferred it to diligent study of God’s Word, or witnessing, or teaching or discipling or serving in the Body of Christ, the church? What if our passion for souls exceeded our passion for self? What if we were as excited about what God is doing as about what we are acquiring? Anytime we choose activity over relationship, we are probably not choosing well.

God values our devotion to Him more than service to a cause or accomplishments for the good of society. When Mary and Martha welcomed Jesus into their home, Martha was too busy with her homemaking preparations to delight in His presence...but Mary “chose the good part,” and was content to sit at the feet of Jesus for as long as He would tarry.