Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* Failure
* Scripture: But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached (Jesus) and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." (Luke 10:40, NKJV)

One would think that holiday seasons would be the happiest times of the year. Not so, many researchers suggest. Rather than times of relaxation and rejoicing, remembrance and celebration, holidays are periods of intense stress for many people. Why so?
For one thing, there are many Marthas in this world, "soul kindred," distracted with much serving. This is one of those 'tight rope' areas, I know. We walk a very narrow line, here, between duty and dereliction. Balance is a key word. Should Mary have helped Martha? Probably. Would Jesus have severely criticized Martha if something wasn't perfect, like if the towels didn't match, or if the table cloth had a spot on it? Probably not. It's all about friendship, not fatigue!
Martha doesn't seem to share in the joy of this occasion. She appears to be rather stressed out, fearing failure as a good hostess. Was Jesus perhaps there to be pampered, or to critique Martha's hospitality for a five-star rating? I doubt it. Perhaps He was instead thinking, "Hey, I came for a visit, let's enjoy it."
Failure is "laboring for the wind," claims the 'Preacher" of Ecclesiastes, to eat in darkness, with much sorrow and sickness and anger. (Ecc. 5:16-17)
There is likely little that you can do to make an old grouch satisfied. The grouch is longing, expecting to eat in darkness, with much sorrow and sickness and anger, and will go to extremes to obtain his goal. Like a pig, if you wallow in their mud, you will both end up 'dirty.' So move on down the street; let the pig - er, grouch, wallow in bitterness and self-pity.
Life is too short to wallow in bad things when there are so many good things to celebrate.
Many people have the "movie set syndrome." On-screen, the camera shows perfection, the perfect house, the ideal standard to strive for. It is instead just a front, a sham, a wall with nothing but props behind it to hold it up. You wouldn't, you shouldn't want to live there. Do you have four walls - and a roof? Be glad!
I recall the quotation:

"A man's reach must exceed his grasp,
else what's a heaven for."

It is one thing to be inspired, to strive, yet,

"Ideals are stars to guide us,
not clubs with which to beat ourselves."

Striving, reaching is not by itself our downfall, but to be consumed by striving for the truly impossible without rejoicing in the possible - that is failure.
We are, perhaps, at times like the mice that I sometimes find in my barn. They have acquired the food supply of their wildest dreams - at the bottom of the grain barrel, from which there is no escape.
Failure is like climbing a mountain, only to be stopped by an impassable obstacle, then, to gaze dismally at the peak, out of reach, rather than turning and rejoicing in the view from the height that you have attained.
Failure is to worry, worry, worry about your next breath, when you should be rejoicing about the breaths that you have already taken.
True failure is to wallow in despair over what has not been done, instead of rejoicing over what has been accomplished.
Failure is anger at what has been lost, rather than joy at what has been found.
Failure is like standing at the door, frustrated, with a dead battery in your radio car keyset, when all you need to do is to insert the key in the lock, the old fashioned way.
Rejoice! It shall be opened.
Do not be distracted by much serving and striving for the winds of the world.
Seek ye the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.
December 31, 2006