MARTHA OR MARY?

41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.† Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:41-42

Anyone that has been in church for more than three weeks knows where we're going!
I got a job! In case you haven't heard the news, Tony Melton doesn't get to wake up every day and decide IF he wants to go to work. He doesn't get to go home at 3:30, turn off his brain and focus on greater things - like fantasy football. He doesn't get to sleep!
For the last two weeks, I've been running around trying to prepare stuff for these 27 awesome students that are in my class. There have been nights when I've found myself at Madison School when the clock struck 2:30......a.m.
The kind of cool thing is that I've totally been focused on others. My whole thought process revolves around, "What am I going to do to make sure these students have the best day they possibly can?" The kind of uncool thing is that I've been wrapped around Martha stuff and forgotten about Mary.
I wake up, go to the gym, go to school, maybe bring work home, go back to school and then go to bed. Notice what's missing there? PRAYER! I've been so busy getting ready for these students that I've missed the one thing that's going to help them most.
What I noticed today (while I was praying) is that the kids I have in my class are not going to be transformed by lesson plans. They're not going to be transformed by technology. They're not going to be transformed by grades on a math test. Only God can transform - and not only them, but my own kids, my own wife and me!
So, if you get a minute - pray for 27 kids in Room 410 at Madison....and while you're at it, say one for four more kids at 306 S. Lombard.

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

If anyone would come after me, he mut deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. - Luke 9:23

READ LUKE 9:18-27 TODAY

     I remember giving the Purpose Driven Life to one of my friends at work.  She said, "Tony I can't read this."

     When I asked, "Why?" she replied, "Look at the first line - It's not about you!"  She couldn't come to grips with that statement..

     Really, how many of us can?  Really, if we're honest, how many of us wake up thinking about what somebody else is going to do that day?  How many of us think about all the things somebody else has to do?  How many of us think about what somebody else is going to have for dinner?

      Not me!  C'mon, not you either!

      But, I think what Jesus is asking us to do is consider that "It's not about us!"  I think He would want us to take baby steps toward not even thinking about ourselves.  There are a lot of keys in the "Treating People Like Jesus Does" keychain, but this is a biggie.  Our selfless attitude is where it all starts.