“However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do…..but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”” Luke 10:20-21, 42 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/luk.10.20-42.NIV

All religions are about doing, except Christianity, it is about being. Christianity is about being in a right relationship with God. It is a familial relationship with God. He is the Father, and we are sons and daughters. Yet the best relationships are those where love for one another is constantly demonstrated to each other. Jesus was full of joy when the disciples returned from successfully doing as instructed to proclaim the kingdom of God and manifest its power over the spiritual forces of darkness. The disciples, too, were filled with joy, having experienced God working with them and through them to accomplish His purposes. When the work becomes the focus, we lose focus on what is most important. This was Martha’s problem. She wanted to serve the Lord but at the cost of being with the Lord. Our relationships are similar. We must always be with our loved ones. Doing for our loved ones at the expense of being with them damages our relationship with them. We must show our love for the people we love but prioritize being with them above doing for them. God is looking for laborers in His harvest that is ripe, and few workers are doing His will on earth. Yet our ultimate joy, our greatest love, must be Him and being in a right relationship with Him through the Son Who gave His life for us, doing all the work required of us, to restore us to the family of God. None of our works will restore our relationship with God. Only the work of Jesus can do that. His work was to restore our relationship with Him as God. Then, we can work to demonstrate our thankfulness and joy in our relationship with God, helping others to also be reconciled to God in a right relationship with God through our works for God. Work and relationships go together, but relationships are greater than work.