Taffi Dollar - Everyday Graciousness
I wanna talk a few minutes this morning about «Everyday Graciousness,» every day graciousness. I wanna look at the story that probably many of us are familiar with, with Mary and Martha in the kitchen. We all as ladies probably can relate to the kitchen. And the things that were taking place there because they had a sister dynamic. In fact, it was Martha’s house and Mary was there and Jesus was there as well. And so, the Bible talks about how Jesus was invited and Mary and Martha were there and there were some things that were necessary that in an essence, kinda worked Martha up because of the things that she thought would need to be done.
And so as it relates to «Everyday Graciousness,» it’s really not so much about the scriptures that we know, as much as how gracious we are as people. When we leave here and we go out into society, and we go back to our families, how gracious are we? If we go back rude and just ungodly… how many of you know that conference did us no good? The note-taking does us no good. So, we look at this example and it strengthens us as women to be able to know without any shadow of a doubt that we can be gracious people. Somebody say, «I’m gracious». «Everyday Graciousness».
And so, look at Matthew chapter 20, verse 25. Well, first, let’s go to Luke chapter 10, that’s where that story is mentioned. Luke chapter 10, verse 42 and I think it maybe starts around verse 38. And so, we want to look at some things as relates to «Everyday Graciousness» because this enablement, this endowment and power that we’ve been hearing about the last couple of days, it can be applied in our everyday lives. So, it says, «Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house».
So, it was talking about the fact that it was Jesus that was received into Martha’s house. And so, it was her home. Look at verse 39, keep going here. «And she,» Martha, «had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’s feet and heard his Word». Now, interestingly enough, when we look back at some of the customs back in the day, the fact that Mary was allowed to sit at Jesus’s feet was something that was unheard of by Jesus allowing Mary to be that close to him and to be in the company of the men. During that time, women were in one room and men were in the other room. In most instances, women weren’t taught. But we see how much Jesus is mad about women and how he wants to empower women by allowing Mary to sit at his feet.
And so, we recognize that there was something that Jesus was wanting to do with his women and empowering them and allowing them to receive and particularly, Mary to receive the things that he was sharing even with the men because it was under the old testament and under the law that men could be taught, that men would be teachable and they would receive the information. But in most instances, it wasn’t allowed. Women were… there was a quarter of women which only could be accessed so far. But Jesus came. Aren’t you glad to destroy and allow Mary to be in the room with him? And to sit out of his feet and just hang on every word. And to take on the things that she needed for her life.
And so, it was him modeling and showing for us that it wasn’t just the men, praise God, who could be taught but thank God, I’m gonna allow this woman to receive and be taught as well. Praise God for that. But the scripture says, «Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, 'Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.'» I can relate with Martha. I often think about Martha when I host family dinners. We had a Mother’s day dinner. It was great, you know, I taught here at the church, went home, and we sat down and everything was just so nice. And then Father’s Day came around. I had the spirit of Martha on me. It was just like the person who prepared the food didn’t have enough food. We just had to run to the store and get more food.
We were trying to grab food from different places and there weren’t enough utensils, and to get things down, and when people started leaving, I’m like, «Oh, Lord, the spirit of Martha is coming on me. I need some help. Where y’all going? Bid me. Come, sit. Take these dishes off this table, go and put 'em in the dishwasher. Come and do something». «Everyday Graciousness» wasn’t working right then. I said, «Come, help, Lord Jesus». But it’s the hospitality in many instances that is so mentioned and regarded here, as Martha was saying, she was concerned, and troubled, and full of care about many things. I mean, here’s the Son of God who has come to her house. How many you know that probably make anybody’s nerves bad when Jesus comes to dinner, right? It’s gotta be right.
I don’t need you showing out and not showing up, and not having what you’re supposed to have, and not bringing what you said you were going to bring. «Where are the paper cups? Where are the paper plates? Where are the paper napkins and the towels and why are you», okay. So, she was careful. Jesus said, «You are careful and troubled about many things». And look at what he says here in verse 42, «But one thing,» somebody say, «One thing,» «Is needful». «One thing is needful». And that’s what we wanna discover, that one thing in our life that is needful. And knowing what is most important. The prize-thing. The fact that Jesus said, «It was not all these other things that you are troubled about and all the things that you’re full of care about. There’s only one thing that you need to do».
How many of you know it’s like, «God help us to do that one thing? Not the many things that we don’t need to be doing, but help us to know what is that right thing, that grace». 'Cause how many of you know, we’re doing the right thing, we have the grace to get it done? And when Jesus comes, and when Jesus is a part of everything that we do, we’re gonna be successful. And so, he says, «And Mary has chosen that,» what? «Good part, which shall not be taken away from her». And so, I wanna share some things with you this morning as it relates to the fact that there are relationships that we have in our life and God wants us to know how to operate in these relationships. And he wants us to be successful in our home. He wants us to be successful in our everyday life with our family, and at work, and how we treat one another.
It is by that, that people will know that we belong to him and that we are a part of his family. And so, he is concerned about all. And so, in essence, I’m sure Jesus may have been a little taken back by being pulled in. But thank God that he was able to kinda set the record straight and to let Martha know that it’s okay that it is all right. And there’s a time for everything. Some might say, «There’s a time for every thing». And so, God makes himself available to all. I’m so thankful that he makes himself available to Martha to minister to her, to let her know what was the most important thing. And to let her know that you know, the details are necessary, but at the same time, what Mary is doing is necessary.
And so, sometimes in relationships, things can become off balance, things can cause us to get in the place of stress and frustration and to get, «All encumbered,» as one translation talks about because we don’t recognize how to take that pause and to realize that he is present with us and he will make himself available to us all. And so, as it relates to some things concerning biblical equality, I want us to realize that as believers of the New Testament, we all stand on equal ground in Christ. And so, what Jesus was trying to do was to level the playing field with Mary and to allow her to receive and to recognize that her grace may be different, maybe Mary is being called to ministry so she needs to come and to receive and sit at my feet.
However, Martha, your grace, your anointing is different. Mary might’ve come in the kitchen and just messed up everything. So, just leave Mary over here with me and Martha, you just focus on what it is that you like to focus on. Her perspective is not bad, it’s just different. Is that all right? And so, we are all equal before Christ. And in Christ, we stand on equal ground. Look at Galatians chapter 3, verse 28, in the AMPC version. And so, we understand that this is not an issue of gender when we talk about equality, it’s really more about us seeing and recognizing one another’s strengths and we recognize the grace and the giftings on one another’s life. And we recognize that, and we respect that and as a result, relationships are for the better.
And so, in Galatians chapter 3, verse 28, he says, «There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek». After Jesus died, the level, the playing field was leveled so that men and women could be in the same room as we have been the last couple of days receiving the Word of God. He says, «There is [now no distinction] between men and women, between Jews and Greeks, slaves or free». He says, «There is not male and female; for you are all,» what? «One in Christ Jesus». So, one of the things that we understand is that we have been designed to complement and to benefit one another. And so, when we realize that we’re able to treat one another as God would want us to treat one another with graciousness. Somebody say, «Graciousness».
Look at Matthew chapter 20, verse 25, and I just trust the Holy Spirit will just go in between the gaps and the scriptures and maybe what isn’t said to cause you to hear and to get insight on areas of your life. There may be situations or relationships at home that you’re praying about, trying to figure out the next step. There’s a time for every thing. Not to say that you don’t confront, or not to say that our emotions are not real, they’re third part of us, they’re very real. And to know how to sit in discomfort, and to sit in pain, and to sit in things that we hadn’t planned, or had anticipated to happen. But it’s okay because wherever we sit, how many of you know, Jesus is sitting right there with us?
And so we don’t have to be afraid and we don’t have to get in the flesh, or practice pulling back that old man and giving them a piece of… we don’t need to give anybody a piece of our mind, we need all our pieces, amen? So, he says, «You know, but Jesus called them unto him, and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them». During that time, you know, there was the usurping of authority, there was patriarchy at an all time high. There were people who were dominating one another, you know, under the law. The curse was that men would dominate women, and in instances, there were women who would dominate men. He says, «You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them».
He was talking about that attitude and that mindset of the day. He says, «And they that are great exercise upon them,» let’s keep going. And so, he says here, in verse 26, «But it shall not be so among you». Jesus was encouraging us and telling us how to live in this everyday world because we live in a world that wants to dominate, to control, to rule, and to take over. But Jesus was modeling for us in this situation and telling us the importance of service and how to serve our community, how to serve in ministry, how to serve in our families, in relationships, in marriage, as a mom, as a parent. He says, «These are things that we are not to use, as relates, to trying to dominate».
Because just rewinding in Genesis chapter 1, verse 26, it says that, «God made mankind: man and woman in his image and in his likeness». So, God created men and women to exercise dominion together and not over one another. And so, when we understand our authority, we understand how to relate with one another, then we can have more fruitful and more impactful relationships. But Jesus says here, «It shall not be so among you,» 'cause that was how it was. That was the result of the curse in Genesis chapter 3, verse 14, which I won’t turn to for the sake of time. But it says that the man would rule over the woman and the curse came and Satan came into the garden and things like that.
But Jesus says, «It shall not be so among you». He was trying to shift their perspective of how they were treating one another. «Everyday Graciousness». In fact, some of the disciples when Jesus was at the well with the woman at the well. And they were asking, «Why even bother talking to her»? They were surprised that Jesus would take time to talk to the woman at the well. You know what? That’s one of the longest conversations that’s recorded in history, was his private conversation with the woman at the well. It is believed to be about 45 minutes. You know why? Because he values you this morning. He sees you this morning.
And so, he says, «It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister». Let him be your servant. And so, many times in relationships, there can be, as I wanna touch on if you’re taking notes, you might wanna write this one word down. There may be a power imbalance. A power imbalance. Without equality, without regard for one another, relationships can be characterized by power imbalances where one person holds more control, influence, or authority over the other. Power imbalances. And so, we see that here where Martha and Mary were concerned. We saw that where Jesus was talking about here how they were exercising control and dominion over one another. He says, «It shall not be so among you».
Another thing that happens when there is no equality in relationships, number two, there’s a lack of respect. A lack of respect. We don’t respect each other’s graces, we don’t respect each other’s anointings, we don’t respect each other’s ability. And so, this is so vital because the message of biblical equality is not a message for married people. Thank God for the areas that we can touch on as it relates to Adam and Eve and so forth and so on, but it’s for everyone. And so, number two, a lack of respect. Absence of equality in relationships can result in a lack of mutual respect and recognition of each other’s worth and dignity. Seeing each other’s dignity and their worth.