The Weightier Things

Shortly after the 'Christmas Chaos' I found myself at Walmart experiencing yet another chaos in its own right...'The After Christmas Chaos.'  I had to return some things and, as you can imagine, the line at customer service was past the dividers all the way to the bathrooms.  I don't know why I decided to stay in line, I usually leave when it is even a semi-long line because, when I am with a five year old doing adult things, everything seems eternal! 

As I was standing there, I couldn't help but notice that there was an open register.  To the right there were 2 employees fumbling through a cart of things that seemed to have been misplaced during the shopping extravaganza that had occurred a couple of weeks prior.  They were intent on getting through the cart, reassigning the items' location and returning them to their place.  Not once did either of them glance up to see if the others reps needed help caring for customers.  They didn't even look up to reassure us fools in line by saying, "we will be with you shortly!"  You know, like saying, "hey I see you, I know you're waiting, I will not forget you're here!"  For some reason those comments always give me more peace in the waiting.  But nooo, it was as if they purposed to not even look at us sensing that if they did we would interrupt their flow of re-stocking.  I wondered, if the manager were to witness the goings on, what he/she would say...Would he encourage his employees to stop and help the customers waiting or would he encourage his employees to continue on ignoring what, in my opinion, is the weightier matter.  Now I want to make clear that I am not judging Walmart's management, nor their employees.  I wasn't there when the directives were given.  I just want to bring to light what I believe the Lord showed me through this experience.

Initially, it reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha.  "Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and while her sister, Mary, happily sat at the feet of Jesus listening to His teaching, Martha was occupied and distracted with much serving." (Luke 10:38-40)  I wondered how many times I've caused a sensation of neglect over my loved ones for choosing the work over the relationship.  How many times have I chosen something that will be there forever over what was temporal?  How many times have I denied attention to something on which I could only capitalize if I did it in the moment?

I have small children and of course it reminded me of them first.  The moments where I have failed to pause the kitchen cleaning in the evening so I could savor that last hour while they were awake before going to bed.  Or the times I've chosen to not go outside to watch them ride their bikes so I could finally vacuum!  Or like, literally just this very second as I sit here and write, how my initial response to my youngest calling me from the bathtub to show me his bubble beard and mustache was, "Judah, I am working, you have to wait!"  LOL!  In case you're wondering, yes, I paused my writing and went!  It was instant conviction! I am far from perfect and I struggle with this everyday.  So I am not suggesting that you watch me and do as I do! I do not have this system down and I often get caught up in the work and not the relationship.

I thought of how sometimes when I have company I get consumed with cleaning the kitchen as my guest are still here.  I selfishly want to have everything clean so that by that by the time they leave I can rest and go to bed.  I have gotten so much better at that, thanks to my mom who has gotten me to see how important it is to lend attention to the matter at hand, which in those times are moments of conversations and laughs or even cries with the people in my midst.  But dude, it is hard!  My flesh can easily take over and I forfeit the relationship.

But isn't that exactly what Satan would want?  He comes only to kill, to steal and to destroy.  I once heard a bible teacher say that the Greek word for kill here also meant 'sacrifice.'  The devil is constantly trying to get us to sacrifice, lay down, give up on the weightier things and so cunningly masks it by making it look essential. 

When my husband comes home and he has something on his heart to share, but I literally just got all the kids down and I am finally able to read my book or simply brainlessly peruse my Facebook feed, I am basically choosing what I could come back to later over something I might never get back.

Like I said,  I do NOT have this down at all! I have by no means mastered choosing the weightier things.  I can at least say I have grown.  But really, all I can do is pray that God would continuously help me to do better.  In the end, any permanent change in me must be accomplished by the Holy Spirit, otherwise I end up taking the credit and consider myself holier than thou.  But it has got me thinking...even to the point of this...

Am I able to set aside even the rules for the sake of compassion?  I wonder how much "the right thing according to the rules" has a hold over me?  A blatantly obvious scenario, to which I think any of us would positively react, is a child going into the street and a car is coming.  Will I run into the street and risk jay walking for the sake of saving this child's life?  Of course I would!!! But I would be breaking the law! SOOOO?  What if I was driving and witnessed someone on the side of the road getting a beating and I didn't have my Bluetooth and no where to pull over?  Would I choose to use my cellphone in the car illegally in favor of the weightier thing?  You know...I think these kinds of things are exactly for what Jesus stood.  He didn't care it was the Sabbath, if you needed healing, dag nabbit, you would be healed!  He didn't care if He was busy, the children wanted to come and He capitalized on that moment.  He welcomed them!

I know that condemnation is NOT from the Lord.  So feeling ashamed and guilty after reading this is not the desired purpose.  Honestly it's just a series of thoughts and challenges I feel like I personally faced that day in Walmart.  I don't know if I would have ever broken the rules before, whether placed by the government or by mere society's standards,  but I can truthfully say that I would consider it more today than ever before.  Do I believe Jesus would be upset or disappointed with me for it? Not in the least!!!  I actually believe this is why so many people have such powerful success stories about smuggling bibles into countries that prohibit, BY LAW, their distribution!  It is amazing how non-legalistic our God is! 

I believe that this year the body of Christ will be awakened to a greater sense of Grace.  That we will be less blinded by the law and more inclined to judge each circumstance by the lens of Jesus' compassion.  That our actions and responses would be coming from a place of what Jesus would truly do as opposed to what our human understanding has imposed over the years.  My prayer is that we would enter into this coming awareness with all the shackles off and that the condemnation that could easily hold us back would be stripped away and we would be free to 'break the rules,' if you will, in light of the weightier things!  All for the glory of Christ!