C.S. Lewis took an hour nearly
every day to personally reply in writing to his many admirers. This
act of service is exemplified in the over one hundred letters he sent
between 1950 -1963 to an American lady whom he had never met. One of
these letters, published in the book, Letters to an American Lady,
addresses the modern American dilemma for followers of Jesus-that of
getting so caught up in doing good things that we miss what God really
has for us to do. Lewis, a bachelor, writes to his pen pal friend, Mary:
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The Gospel writer Luke tells the following story:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, |
Have you given both Mary and
Martha a little chance in your life this past week? Do you find
yourself "doing for doing's sake," rather than enjoying time spent with
the Lord and others. We are called after all, human beings, not human
doings.
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about the bits underlined in your letter (which I enclose for
reference). Don't be too easily convinced that God really wants you to
do all sorts of work you needn't do. Each must do his duty 'in that
state of life to which God has called him'. Remember that a belief in
the virtues of doing for doing's sake is characteristically feminine,
characteristically American, and characteristically modern: so that
three veils may divide you from the correct view! There can be
intemperance in work just as in drink. What feels like zeal may be only
fidgets or even the flattering of one's self-importance. As MacDonald
says 'In holy things may be unholy greed'. And by doing what 'one's
station and its duties' does not demand, one can make oneself less fit
for the duties it does demand and so commit some injustice. Just you
give Mary a little chance as well as Martha!1
he
came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to
what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that
had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that
my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha,
Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many
things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better,
and it will not be taken away from her' (Luke 10:38-42 - NIV).