If you are like me you have heard of the two sisters in the Bible named Mary and Martha. Martha is the hardworking, behind the scenes one who gets all flustered when a bunch of people come to dinner and she feels like she can’t keep up. Mary is the one whose focus remains on Jesus no matter what is going on around her. I’ve heard multiple sermons and lessons on these two ladies and the virtues of both. The trouble I have is that I relate mostly to Martha and wish mostly to be Mary. I’ve always aspired to be a Mary while most of the time remaining a Martha. I have family and friends that are more Maryish than I am and I look up to them.

Now, let me be very clear. I know that Mary minded people are hard workers and get a lot of things done. They are people I lookup to and aspire to become more like. This is because they keep their eyes and focus on Jesus and therefore become more like Him and reflect Him all the more brightly. I tend to be more of a Martha, though. Getting distracted by the things that need to be done and trying desperately to keep up, more often describes me, than someone able to block all that out find and maintain a quiet and attentive relationship with Jesus.

The thing I am starting to realize though, is that although I do have more Martha tendencies, I am able to have attributes of both of them at different times. I may aspire to be a Mary, but Jesus loved Martha just as much as He loved Mary. That means that there are valuable things to be learned from both of them. They were both cherished friends of Christ. They both had a special and deep friendship with Him. It is reassuring to me to know that even though I may get distracted and activity focused instead of Jesus and people focused, I can have a deep and growing friendship with Christ.

As I recognize that even if I am a Martha, I can have Mary moments, I recognize that the things that make us unique are what make us valued. We should not seek to become like someone else (except Jesus), we should seek to be the very best version of ourselves. God made no mistakes when he made us. Each of us is a cherished treasure to him and have things unique to ourselves, temperaments and personalities. We must work to keep our eyes on Him and aspire to become more like Him. In doing that, we will bring the best version of ourselves and the gifts He has given us to help the world and love Him more.

This recognition also helps me treasure and value my daughters. They are just about as opposite as possible. Even to the point that until very recently, when we would have Chili Dogs on Wednesdays at church, one would eat just chili and the other would eat just a hotdog. The girls are very different and have their own unique gifts and treasures to add to our family and all of their relationships. I must make time each day to recognize their gifts and strengths. I must help them to recognize their strengths and teach them how to use them to enrich and bless the lives of those around them. As I treasure them and their uniqueness, I pray that they will recognize their own talents and fall more deeply in love with the God who gave those gifts to them. I pray that if I treasure their gifts and uniqueness it will also teach them to treasure the unique gifts of all those they encounter.

As we recognize the gifted uniqueness God has put into ourselves, we can see that gift in others. If we struggle to see it in ourselves we will likely struggle to see it in others. But, if it is easier for you to recognize the unique giftedness of others than yourself, take heart! Because whether you start with the foundation of your own unique gifts or those of other people, you have to even out the equation so to speak. Just as a math equation has to be balanced on both sides, if God has placed blessed uniqueness in others it must be in you AND visa versa. This has to be true because God created all of us! The only thing that can distort this giftedness is lacking Christ. Once He enters our hearts He lights up the mosaic of the gifts He’s placed within us.

Have you trusted Him with your life and the gifts He’s given you? What unique gifts have you seen Him use either from yourself to others or from others to yourself?