Less Mary, More Martha – Proverbs 13

The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. – Proverbs 13:4

There is much in the book of Proverbs about the importance of diligence.

Apart from a miraculous gift of grace, or pure dumb luck, there is really no success without it.

In any area of life, persistence is key to success. Keep going, nose to the grindstone, do the work and put in the hours, get things done, and get the results you are looking for.

While I have known all of this for some time, I have spent most of my life being a dreamer, a dawdler, a reader, and a procrastinator.

I can identify much more with Mary, the woman who spent her day sitting raptly at the feet of Jesus, than with Martha, her poor hard-working sister who spent all day preparing food for the Master and his entourage.

But I am working at being a little more Martha, while trying hard to retain the qualities of Mary that feed my spiritual side, inspire my creativity, and ultimately result in the work that pays my bills.

I am challenging myself to be more diligent and less distracted, more focused and less flighty, more productive and less the procrastinator.

It is hard work. But I know it will pay off in the end.