So this guy tells a story about a friend who teaches violin in a small room. It’s in the midst of other small studios for teachers of piano, voice, and other instruments. And this guy drops in on his music teacher friend to chat, but he’s looking a bit down and depressed. So, in an effort to cheer him up, he asks, “What, my friend is the good news today?”
The grizzled violin teacher ponders the question for a moment. The gears are turning and a subtle smile starts to creep across his face. He grabs a small, wooden hammer in one hand and a silver tuning fork in other and smacks them together producing a bright hum that lingers in the room.
“That, my friend,” the violin teacher exclaims, “is the good new today! Because that, my friend, is ‘A,’ and that is something you can depend on. The piano next door may be out of tune and the soprano across the hall may sing off-key. But no mater, that’s still ‘A.’ It was ‘A’ yesterday. It will be ‘A’ tomorrow and a thousand years from now. That’s something you can depend on, and that, my friend, is the good news.”
I wonder if Jesus is saying something similar to Martha. In the end of Luke chapter 10, two sisters have welcomed Jesus into their house to hang out with them. (Unique in Luke’s gospel is special attention paid to the women who followed Jesus.) One, Martha, is busy preparing the meal; the other, Mary, is sitting with Jesus, hanging on his every word.
Martha goes all Ms. CrankyPants and tattles to Jesus on her lazy, good-for-nothing sister. Jesus’ comeback?
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
What does that mean?
I think maybe it means, Martha, you are out of tune.
This week’s discipleship lesson:
As disciples of Jesus we tune our lives to the rhythm of God in receiving God’s love and then giving God’s love to others–receive, give, receive, give.
Question: What are you doing this week to “stay in tune” with God?
Fiftyeight 