Martha, Me and Jesus' Feet — Marvelous India

He seemed at peace. The only movement he made was to sip on his fresh, aromatic coffee. I paused slaying make-believe monsters with my brothers in the front yard to look up at him seated calmly on the slope under the sappy pine tree. The hillside rose behind him and ahead, at the other end of the yard, it dove down steeply into the valley. The air was chilly at this time in the evening just as it usually was there in the pine covered foothills of the Himalayas. It was the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the mountains. But my brothers and I were busy vanquishing the enemy and my father’s activity was the last thing I wanted to do. After all, the closer the sun came to the horizon the closer I was to being stuffed into bed against my will.

Much of my early childhood was spent in a small mountain town called Murree, Pakistan. This Hill Station sat at around 7,500ft (2,000m) elevation. During the British Raj the mountain towns known as “Hill Stations,” served an important role in governing the sub-continent. During the oppressive heat of the Indian summer the British governing bodies would pack everything up and literally head for the hills to escape their discomfort. So, in these Hill Stations across India and Pakistan you will find many old English style clubs, guest houses, boarding schools and even golf courses. Some well known Hill Stations include Srinagar, Shimla, Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Kodaikanal and Ooty. Infact, the colonial government in Madras (modern day Chennai) ruled from Ooty during the summers. To this day many foreign and domestic tourists visit these beautiful mountain retreats.

From this particular Hill Station, Murree, the snow capped Himalayas could be seen in the distance. Not only was my brother’s and my boarding school there, but my parents would come to Murree for language school. When we were not in school, our home was in Utopia House. It was certainly not a utopia, but it was good enough for us children. We had plenty of space to play legos, run around outside and play make-belief or play in the snow during the winters. It was always nice to escape the heat and dust of our southern Punjabi home and enjoy the crisp, clear, pine scented mountain air that Murree had to offer. Utopia House was located on a hillside out of town and off the main road. On one side were a few fields for growing vegetables or grazing animals, on the other was the forest and a campground where the Pathans would migrate down from Afghanistan every year.

As I write this, I too am sipping on some coffee as my own kids play in front of me in the yard. Though it is not quite so idyllic, it is still pleasant. The coffee is of the instant variety and I’m in the Philadelphia suburbs but I’m sitting at a picnic table under yellow leaves as my kids crunch around on them. I'm thankful for my home and I enjoy it, but boy would I love a mountain sunset each evening.

Our lives are filled with these small pleasant moments, and yet, as some insurance commercials are always telling us: life comes at you fast. For my dad all those years ago, it would have been a busy day working, studying and raising his three rambunctious boys but that moment watching the sunset was a welcome pause to reflect on the day before the hustle and bustle of bedtime routines. Each of our days are filled with working, tidying, cooking, planning, shopping, budgeting, making lists, looking at the calendar, driving, fixing things, piles of laundry, changing diapers, answering emails, making phone calls…the list keeps going and growing. Much of it is simply mundane or tedious but other parts of our days are high-stress and worrisome. What does the future hold for our family? How will we pay for this or that? Did our washer really break again? Will I get the promotion? Will I be able to keep this job? Is my son going to get better? When will Mom be able to come home from the hospital? How will I be able to make more money? Is it the weekend yet?

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”

When I heard these words a few weeks ago they cut through all the noise that had been steadily buzzing louder and louder in my mind. My mad scramble to stay on top of things and be in control had been wearing me down. Each day, each chore, each worry added to the bulging burden. Then finally a man I never met shared these words that Jesus spoke 2000 years ago in Luke 10. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” In these words I heard Jesus’ gentle rebuke for my fruitless straining against the weight of things I could not hope to bear on my own. Only one thing was necessary, but I had neglected it in pursuit of lesser things. I had been pursuing good things as opposed to the best thing. And in the end such a chase corrupts even those good pursuits into distractions from the one necessity of sitting at the Master’s feet. But Jesus’ gentle rebuke to Martha and I also comes with the gracious invitation to join Mary. “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Instead of puttering around the house because of her guests, Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet, to listen and to be in His presence. And so there I strive to sit, though I am constantly tempted to stand and pick up my cumbersome burden all over again.

The Fam at Utopia House. Im the little guy striking a pose.

It is counterintuitive I suppose, to give up time worrying and working and spend more time resting and listening. And yet Jesus says to those sitting listening at His feet, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” You know what the “these things” worries are in your own life.

I think we all need to take more time to sit under a tree and watch the sunset. To rest, enjoy the family God blessed us with and savor the pleasant moments granted to us in our short life. Earnestly invite others to join us, but let the rats run their race if they so choose, and let’s all sit at Jesus' feet and find wisdom and peace.

Peace. And until next time, happy travels!

Seth

P.S. If you appreciate or enjoy the work I am doing at Marvelous India, feel free to say thank you by buying me a cup of chai!

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