A Generation of "Marthas"

Yesterday was Graduate Sunday at Fairview, an annual celebration of those who are finally getting released from the tyranny of high school and college. To be honest, it doesn't make for the most powerful worship service; people are primarily interested in seeing their 'little darlings' in their caps and gowns. I get that so not a major complaint [maybe a minor one though]. In my message yesterday, I focused on Luke 10:25-11:13, a series of admonitions from Jesus concerning our most important relationships: with others and with God.

In the middle of the message, I tackled an important issue. Luke 10:38-42 is the story of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is distracted, busy with supper preparations, while Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha thinks Mary is doing nothing; Jesus says she is doing the best thing. It occurred to me as I studied last week that we are raising the most distracted generation in the history of America. They are a generation of "Marthas." With all the social media, activities, etc. that our youth are involved with and in, it is doubtful they know how to 'be still' and focus on much of anything, much less 'be still' and hear and God. Yet, to be a fruitful follower of Christ, that is exactly what one has to do. Jesus said sitting at His feet and hearing from Him is the best thing.

I don't blame the kids for being Marthas, however. Mostly I blame me and other parents with me. From the time our graduates were born, we decided for some reason that it was vital to their well-being that every second of their lives had to be used up in an endless barrage of activities—from karate to soccer to dance lessons to baseball to football, etc etc etc etc. We 'throw' church in too, of course. But church activities are only part of and not necessarily the most vital part of a child's week. If a baseball tournament or a dance recital is found to be at the same time as a church activity, most of the time the church activity is skipped. We have also purchased the cell phones and computers and pretty much given our kids unrestricted use of them [before I'm criticized I know there are exceptions to these general statements—but not many]. Our kids are Marthas because we have allowed them to be. They are Marthas because we are too. We parents don't really know how to be still either. We have the mistaken notion that stillness leads to staleness or worse yet paralysis.

Parents are not the only culprits. The church is also to blame. Most churches can be described as Martha churches. By that I mean places where there is a whirlwind of activities and very little 'being still' time. I wonder what would happen in the average Baptist church, including the one I serve, if a decision was made to stop all the activities other than basic discipleship and worship? What if I stood in the pulpit Sunday and proclaimed, "We're going to learn to be still and listen to Jesus?" My experience tells me exactly what would happen. There would be a rebellion in the church. Many would start looking for other churches that provide the activities parents especially perceive are necessary to keep everybody busy and happy [as if busyness results in happiness]. Youth and children's ministers would be particularly criticized because it is believed that they are on staff simply to plan and pull off activities.

It is always easier to get people to respond to an activity, but difficult indeed to get people to even attend a prayer meeting. Do you see a problem here? How can Martha churches help Martha parents who desperately need to help Martha children? They cannot.

Yet Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to sit at His feet and hear from Him (in Word and in prayer). That is the best thing that cannot be taken away. Perhaps churches need to reassess their multitude of activities and focus more on teaching people the importance of the 'best thing.' Churches can and should teach the spiritual disciplines. I would argue that is the church's primary responsibility.

We parents need to look at our own lives. How can we teach our children something we don't know how to do?

Here is the thought that is burdening me: What will happen to the church in the years ahead if the most distracted generation stays that way? I believe this is an important issue; the future vitality of the church is at stake.