Busyness is often worn like a badge of honor. To rush around in a million directions is somehow perceived to be a good thing.
I do my share of rushing around, yet I often stop and remind myself that people are more important than projects.
If we’re not careful, we can spend our lives rushing from one project to the next while missing out on people and relationships along the way.
My husband Brad would be the first to admit that this is an area he could work on. He is so task-oriented that he finds it helpful to make a to-do list that looks something like this:
- mow lawn
- hang hooks in bathroom
- play with boys
If hanging out with the boys isn’t on his list, the other tasks take over.
Writing this blog is my project, and even as I write I feel the tension. I have decided that I want to post once a month. This month is almost over so in my typical last-minute frenzy I am trying to finish. When the pressure is on to complete a task what gets neglected? People.
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I just took a break to practice what I preach and made a few phone calls. The key to success in this area is to be intentional. Why is it so hard to prioritize people?
I have decided to take a page from my husband’s book and put people on my daily schedule. I write this post for me as much as I write it for you. Regardless of how busy a day is, I always want to be sure that I reach out to someone.
When I think of prioritizing people the story of Mary and Martha comes to mind. Mary sat at Jesus’s feet while Martha was rushing around preparing the meal.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40–42)
Poor Martha was trying to take care of the company that came to her home for a meal. One of the guests was Jesus, no less. If I were Martha, I would want to pull out all the stops too. I hope I would also want to sit at Jesus’s feet. What a dilemma. I have pondered this a fair amount recently and concluded that while Jesus and the others needed to eat, the correct response was probably a simple meal that wouldn’t have required excessive time away from the guest of honor.
Those who know me know that I love to make things from scratch. I have been known to make my own soap, face creams, kombucha, bread, apple cider, and the list goes on. There is nothing wrong with doing that but in recent years I have been learning balance. I have cut out some things while continuing others. I’ve found balance by inviting others to join me in the creative process. I invite friends over to make apples pies when our apple harvest is plentiful. That way I can combine my love for homemade pies with my love for people.
Each of us is capable of making another human being feel valued. A phone call, a handwritten note, an encouraging word are always appreciated, especially during difficult times.
Several years ago a Facebook friend posted about the death of another friend’s daughter. Out of curiosity I looked up the profile of the woman whose daughter had died. I was saddened to realize that she had died by suicide. I then looked up the daughter’s profile. As I scrolled through her page, I read the saddest post. Written about a month before she took her own life it said, “1,611 Facebook friends and nobody to talk to.” How tragic!
On his death bed you won’t hear a businessman say, “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.” But you might hear him say, “I wish I’d spent more time with my family.”
I hope and pray that in the days and weeks ahead, we each find time in our busy schedules to prioritize people, because people are more important than projects.
Very good and much needed reminder. Thanks for sharing. See you next Tuesday God willing. Love to you and your family.
Thanks for the comment. I am racking my brain trying to think who this anonymous person is that I’m going to see on Tuesday. Oh, just figured it out. Love you! ❤️
I don’t know if you remember Denise that this was one of your dad’s favourite sayings, just slightly different. He put it People are more important than property, I heard it often. It’s been my philosophy all along as well. I even write down names, like a shopping list, of who I need to contact but seldom complete the list. Thanks for the reminder to actually put it into practice!
I actually don’t remember my dad saying that. I do remember him living it, however. Thank you for sharing.
I love this post. People are precious and much more important than things, like projects. I tend to be more of a Martha so it’s always good to have a reminder. Thank you, Denise. I’m looking forward to reading your book.
Thanks, Amy. I need the reminder too, especially at the beginning of a new school year.
Love this! Always a great reminder! I often think of how many times I am focused on the task At hand so much that I don’t make eye contact with people and move on to the next thing – especially at a store yet how important it is!
Sorry for the late response. I didn’t see this until a few days ago. You make a great point Kim. I too can get so focused on a task that I forget to connect with the people around me. It has been over a month since I wrote this post and I need a fresh reminder. Thanks so much for writing.
I just read an item somewhere from an ancient source which said we are either Reservoirs or canals.
The writer encourages us to be Reservoirs rather than Canals. I think he meant that as Reservoirs there is much more serenity perhaps. Canals might be much more hard work e.g. I have heard people who have been on canal holidays get worn out by having to open all those locks to adjust water levels.
“A canal spreads abroad water as it received it but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing without loss to itself is superabundant. In the Church today there are many Canals and few reservoirs.” This is attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (Quoted in Prayer (Finding the heart’s true home) Richard Foster.
Hello Alan, I begin with an apology for overlooking your comment for so long. I only just saw it this past week.
From the analogy you have given, what I take away is that as reservoirs, we give out of the overflow of our lives. I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog.
Never really got into this story.
I have known so many Marys who sit and bat their eyelashes and smile sweetly while the Marthers do all the work.
I don’t think that they had fast food in that time. Jesus had to be fed.
What would be wrong with M and M working together and then all sitting at his feet?
Of course people are more important than projects but hunger really interferes with communication.
I really don’t go for putting Mary on a pedestal because she didn’t want to get her hands dirty and preferred to gaze at the Lord.
Thank you for taking the time to comment Jennifer. I missed seeing what you wrote until this past week.
It does sound like a good idea for Mary and Martha to work together then for both of them to sit a Jesus’ feet, or perhaps Martha might have struck a balance by preparing a simple meal that didn’t take much time. That isn’t what happened, however. The Bible tells us, Martha was, “distracted with much serving”, while Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:40–42).