Creating Space For Relationships This Holiday Season

WRITTEN BY KATHRYN GUILD

We are just weeks away from one of my favorite holidays, Christmas! The celebration of the birth of the Christ Child has finally arrived — and with it has come all of the hustle-and-bustle of the Christmas season.

Holiday parties, gift-giving and family traditions lace our December calendars, often leaving us stressed, overworked and more frustrated than merry. Unmet expectations of ourselves and those around us can drive a wedge between even the most healthy relationships.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all just rewind a few centuries to a simpler time, before culture had its hand in molding this to be the busiest time of the year?

Let’s take a moment to rewind a few centuries back to a time when Jesus Christ roamed the earth. Sure, there were no social media platforms or pinterest moms back in the first century, but the pressure to perform was just as strong. We see a perfect example of humans struggling to impress in Luke chapter ten.

“ As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” Luke 10: 38-40

We’ve all been there. An unexpected guest shows up to our messy home or the holiday party we’ve been planning seems to arrive weeks before we are ready. Suddenly all of our shortcomings become the sole object of our attention. We *have* to hang more lights, we *must* reorganize our kitchen, we *need* to buy that extra gift.

That’s exactly where we find Martha in this story. She wanted to be sure that the meal she had been slaving over would be brought to perfect completion. She busied herself and focused on the things she *needed* to do. Sure, the Messiah Himself was sitting in her living room, but Martha felt that what she *had* to do was more important.

In this moment, we see Jesus respond to Martha the way He probably looks at us in this time of year. Rather than pointing out her obvious shortsightedness, He looked upon Martha with compassion and pointed her to truth. With much grace and patience, the Lord tells Martha that which was truly worth her attention.

“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:41-42.

What Mary had discovered was the beauty of her relationship with Jesus Christ. Rather than concerning herself over the details of the dinner, she clung closely to the Lord — sitting at His feet, listening to His every word.

At the core of our every interaction in this busy time of year, we must not only remember the relationships behind every get together, but actively create space for these connections to flourish. Just like Mary, we must concern ourselves with what is truly important; our relationship with Christ and how He is working in our relationships with His children.