Distracted by Serving

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

“But Martha was distracted with much serving.”
— Luke 10:40 NKJV

It’s easy to let serving distract us when we’re serving the Lord. In Luke 10:38-42, there’s a story about two sisters—one fellowshipping and worshiping, the other serving. They had opposing opinions about welcoming Jesus into their home.  

When Jesus entered the small town of Bethany, Martha invited Him into her house. She planned to prepare a good meal and make Jesus comfortable while He was in town. Jesus never traveled alone, for His disciples were always with Him. Therefore, Martha prepared to serve Jesus and those with Him. With so much work, Martha allowed serving to distract her from spending quality time with Jesus.

Martha’s desire to serve stemmed from a genuine place of hospitality and love. Yet her focus on serving tasks distracted her. Martha missed the opportunity for intimacy. Sometimes, even good intentions can divert our attention from what truly matters. Being present and attentive in the moment is important. That’s why we should not allow serving to distract us.

Preoccupied with Work

While Martha was busy and concerned with serving her guests, Mary chose to sit and listen intently to Jesus’ words. Martha’s dedication to serving was admirable. However, it led her to feel overwhelmed and even frustrated with her sister Mary. This moment highlights the tension between the urgent demands of service and the deeper need for spending time with the Lord. Jesus gently reminded Martha that, although serving has its place, we should not allow it to be a distraction. Prioritizing time with Jesus brings lasting fulfillment and peace.

Every Christian should desire to do good things for the Lord; that’s why we serve in the church and volunteer our services to charitable causes. However, we shouldn’t become so distracted by serving that we lose the importance of spending quality time with the Lord.

This story encourages us to reflect on our own lives: Are we so consumed with doing for God that we overlook simply being with Him? True spiritual growth often occurs not just in acts of service. It also happens in quiet moments of connection and listening. Let us remember to pause and set aside our busyness. We should make space for meaningful communion without being solely distracted by serving. This allows our hearts to be refreshed and centered on what is truly important.

As I serve others, I will not be so preoccupied with serving that I neglect spending quality time with You. Open my ears and my heart, that I may also receive from You as I give to You.