Are You Focused on What’s Most Important?

My mother-in-law recently became a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in Spain, she came to the United States as a young woman. Settling in Michigan, she gave birth to six boys, the first of whom is my husband. She lived here for thirty-six years before she decided to take the plunge, and now she’d come face-to-face with the dreaded American Citizenship Test.

That test was hard. I know, because I helped her study for it. Her study materials listed a hundred questions that ran the gamut—history, government, civics, politics. On the day of her test, she would be asked only ten questions, but since she didn’t know which ten questions would be asked, she needed to learn the answers to them all. She listened to her study guide CDs morning, noon, and night. The female narrator would ask the question, then pause, then say the answer. No inflection, no modulation, no frills—just the question, then the pause, then the answer.

My mother-in-law studied all one hundred questions and learned all one hundred answers, but her favorite was this:

Q: What is the highest law in the land?

A: The Constitution!

On the day of the test, she had the study guide CD playing in the car during the two-hour drive to Detroit. She was ready.

She answered all ten questions correctly! We were so proud of her. Then they had a ceremony much like a graduation procession. She walked across the stage to applause, received her certificate, and was welcomed as a fellow American. Later that evening we celebrated with red, white, and blue balloons and a cake that said, “Congratulations, you American citizen you!”

Over cake she exclaimed, “They never asked me about the Constitution!” That was her favorite question; she had rehearsed the answer in her mind dozens of times. But when all was said and done, it didn’t even show up on the test.

Here’s the thing: my mother-in-law didn’t know what would show up on the test. She had no way of knowing that repeating “The Constitution! The Constitution! The Constitution!” like a Gregorian chant would prove to be pointless. All one hundred questions my mother-in-law studied were valid questions. Each of the one hundred answers she learned were right answers. But in the end, ten of those questions proved themselves to be the most important.

Similarly, I could spend my time in many “valid” ways. And each of those ways could be considered “right.” But my challenge in this busy life is to remain focused on what is most important. A clean house is important, but being pleasant and gracious to my kids is most important. Teaching my children to dress nicely for church is important, but what is most important is that they learn to love being in the house of the Lord. (Oops. Grumpily micromanaging their wardrobe selection is counterproductive to what matters most.) Beating my high score in Alien Hive is important (maybe), but spending quality time with my husband is most important.

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This reminds me of Mary and Martha, two sisters who loved and were loved by our Lord Jesus. They were intimate enough with Jesus to host him in their home. When faced with the stress of serving the Savior, Martha found herself entangled by the less important things. The seasoning for the lamb, the incense to set the ambience, the linens on the table—these were the types of things on Martha’s mind. Mary, in contrast, was seated at the Lord’s feet, relishing every word he spoke.

Luke 10:41–42 records our Lord’s admonishment: “‘Martha, Martha,’” the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (NIV, emphasis mine).

 Martha chose what mattered some; Mary chose what mattered most. What Martha chose was temporary and external. Mary made the better choice.

It’s 2017, the golden age of Netflix and charcoal face masks, distractions abound and overwhelm. So much competes for my time, my money, my energy. Ironically, so many of these competitors are good and important things! But I’m trying to pour my life into what is of eternal value.

It’s my goal and my prayer that I can end my life knowing I gave the best of me to what mattered most. Knowing I majored on the major and didn’t get bogged down in the minor. Knowing I was a little more like Mary and a little less like Martha. Knowing that my priorities were in line with the Lord’s and that my life’s choices reflected his eternally worthwhile purpose.

Amy Beaulieu lives in Michigan with her husband and four (soon to be five!) children. She is a lover of music, language, and all things thought-provoking. She is a witness and testimony to God’s redemptive grace.

Photograph © Annie Spratt, used with permission