The Better Part

Whenever we talk about the time when Mary and Martha were serving Christ there is a collective sigh; largely because many of us are like Martha.  We get so bogged down in the details of life that we don't or can't focus in on the mainstream of life.  I never really understood this until I left the professional pulpit and struck out in the world of work.  Our lives are so full of things even "good" things that we fail to realize what the better part really is.
Jesus said that, "seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) The question is what does it mean to seek His Kingdom and Righteousness?  The answer to that question is found in the very Genesis of history when Adam and Eve were created.  He decided to make man and place him in the garden of Eden.  The Psalmist prophetically said that, "He made him a little lower than God and crowned Him with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:4-8) 
First God blessed man.  Now man had not done one thing to earn the blessing; his blessing did not come through obedience it came as a sovereign work of God's unmerited favor.  After he was blessed God said to him to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.  Adam was to exercise dominion and authority over all the works of God's hands.  What a life!  God had blessed man with His own image and righteousness and gave Him authority to carry out God's word and work on earth. 
Man lost that when he sinned in the garden; he lost his righteousness and his rule.  But the good news is that Christ won it back on  the cross.  Jesus told His disciples to pray, "thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  And the prayer was answered in the Son of God.  What the first Adam could not do the second accomplished.  Jesus has restored man's rightful place in the universe once more. (Hebrews 2:5-15)  This is the better part of life.
So many of us are like Martha still trying to live through Adam.  We do not seek the righteousness of Christ but our own attempts at it.  The worries and cares of Adam's image plague our minds and sap our strength.  How often we let the kingdoms of men and nations suppress the reality of the risen Christ in us.  It is time that we stop looking to ourselves to serve God and live this life; and start looking to Christ and the Finished Work He accomplished.  We are righteous because of the Cross; we are Kings because we are in Christ and He is in us.  Let us now be like Mary, focused on Jesus.  Living our lives by faith in His righteousness and authority.  The rest will be added on top.  Seek the better part first.