“Mommy guilt” is a trendy phrase going around used to describe what mothers feel when they elect to put their children in childcare and pursue careers or other interests.

But there’s a different kind of mommy guilt that’s been around for a long time.  Anyone who has felt the anger of the lady of the house can tell you all about it.  It can be verbal with sentences that start out, “You never…”

Or, it might be manifest through the clanging of dishes and pots coming from the kitchen region.

Or, it could just be the vicious nonverbal assault of a browbeating.

It’s biblical too.

Jesus and seventy of his closest followers had been making their way to Jerusalem (Luke 10).  They came to town called Bethany where a very kind woman named Martha welcomed them into her home.  As Martha invited Jesus to make himself comfortable, she went and prepared food for everyone.

All who were there, especially Martha’s younger sister Mary, were spellbound to Jesus. They were hanging one his every word.  But it grew increasingly hard to hear what Jesus was saying because of all the noise coming from the kitchen.

Suddenly, Martha burst into the room.  Everyone turned.  “Is it time to eat?” someone asked.  Seeming to ignore the question, Martha pushed through the room toward Jesus. 

Glaring at Mary, then quickly doing her best to smile at Jesus, she said, “Lord, I know everyone’s hungry, and you guys are going to love my hummus, but things would go a lot quicker if Mary could give me a hand.”  She glared again.  Everyone in the room could feel her heat.  It was awkward.

Jesus smiled and pulled Martha over to the side.  “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your hospitality,” he said, “and I can hardly wait to taste your hummus, but what you just did risks making all your hard work in vain.”  Jesus turned back toward the room and smiled at everyone especially Mary.  “See your sister over there?  While you’ve been working, she’s had the opportunity to get to know me a little better.  And that’s the best thing that could possibly ever happen!”  Mary went back and finished up.  And her hummus was a total hit!

Avoiding these kinds of situations is at the heart of what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he said,

“Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.” (2 Corinthians 1:24, NIV)

The goal and purpose of all our work, ministry, serving, even cooking, is people’s joy!  This will cause us to avoid any word, any actions, or even any look that could possibly lay the guilt on.  By working for their joy, we provide the means to allow them, like Mary, to get to know Jesus better, and to allow the Lord to do for them what He’s done for us!  It may not make your work less, but it will change the way you do it.  Might even make your guacamole a hit.