Lifted: That Good Part (Part 2)

I want to be sensitive in the way I write this next section; I don't intend to offend or criticize, and I hope it doesn't come off that way. 

As I look back on my life now, I can clearly see that while at times I have been deeply, religiously converted to the Church, I have never been converted to Jesus. I don't think that the two are always the same. (If you read my "Why I Stay" series, you can easily see that my focus was on staying in the Church, not staying close to Christ.) It is so easy to get swept up in the culture, the activities, the lists of do's and don'ts, that you can spend a whole lifetime in Church service without ever finding Jesus.

A mock pioneer trek was just one of many activities I participated in growing up.

 Jesus Christ and the Church should be one entity, married to each other in heart, mind, and purpose. I'm not sure we as a church are there yet. 

There are many things we as Church members focus on that Jesus doesn't care much about. Our standards of godliness are too often defined by the cut of a dress ("is she wearing her garments under that?"), an extra ear piercing ("I'm pretty sure Elder Bednar gave a talk about that"), the state of a marriage ("if they were more faithful they wouldn't be getting divorced"), the completion of a mission ("well was it an honorable release?"), the way a testimony is borne ("she should not have said that over the pulpit"). We don't often look past these outward superficial circumstances to the hearts of the people in them. We don't see as Jesus sees. 

Others saw an adulteress. Jesus saw her.

Maybe she isn't wearing her garments, maybe she heard Elder Bednar's talk and chose not to take out her extra piercing, maybe they weren't faithful to their marriage covenants, maybe he wasn't honorably released from his mission, and maybe she should have thought more carefully about the remarks she made over the pulpit, but it is not our place to condemn. Jesus loves them. And what's more, Jesus loves you, and He would love you even if you found yourself in every single one of those circumstances. 

Jesus loves you. Unconditionally, unequivocally, no strings attached. He always has, and He always will.

And I think ironically, as members of Jesus's church, we are so good at forgetting that. Some of us are working so hard to earn Jesus's love, trying and failing to hold ourselves and each other to impossible standards of perfection. Perfection that Jesus never asked us for. 

Earlier this year we studied the story of Mary and Martha in the gospel of Luke. I've heard this story before and always related to Martha quite a bit, always busy and cumbered about doing good things. People use this story a lot to teach about prioritizing the gospel amidst the chaos of modern day-to-day life: Yes, get your kids up and fed and dressed and off to school; yes, get the dishes cleaned and laundry folded and errands run; yes, make dinner and chauffeur kids to their various activities, but make sure you have time for Jesus first. 

I think that's a good principle. But in the podcast I listened to they proffered the idea that this story can also apply to how we approach "living the gospel": Yes, read the scriptures, say your prayers, attend church, attend the temple. Yes, hold family home evening, family prayer, family scripture study. Yes, minister, serve your family, share the gospel in normal and natural ways. But in the midst of all of that, don't lose sight of Jesus. It is surprisingly easy. 

As I read the story again, I see Jesus in my mind turning from Mary to look right at Martha. He takes her hand, and gently He says, "Martha. Martha." 

Kiersten, Kiersten. 

"Thou art careful and troubled about many things."

You've tried so long to do all the right things, to pray daily, to study more sincerely, to serve more thoughtfully. You've tried, and you've failed, and you're troubled. You're tired. 

"But one thing is needful."

I am needful. 

"And Mary has chosen that good part."

I am good. 

"And it shall not be taken from her."

I am here. I will not leave. 

I am enough for you. For each of you. For all of you.

He leaves the ninety and nine.

Click here for Part 3