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ARCHETYPES
Finding the Balance Between Stillness and Action
Biblical Wisdom for Modern Life
It’s been a week since I’ve had surgery, and I’m sick of lying on the couch watching Netflix by day and the Olympic Games by night.
I am a doer!
I want to get up and make things happen. I want to tidy up, solve a problem, fix something that is broken, and make some kind of tangible difference to someone or something. I want to go for a walk in the park or even a drive down the street. But my body says, “No! You must rest and recover!” and when I object, it reminds me by sending me some pain to keep me grounded.
But, to be honest, this whole sitting still thing is doing my head in. At least I have the use of my fingers, and I can type on my laptop and send a blog post out into cyberspace where someone might read it and relate.
It’s a hard thing finding the balance between stillness and movement, between thinking and doing, between resting and resting on your laurels, and between contemplation and action. Sometimes, when I am working hard, someone tells me I ought to take it easy and get some rest. Sometimes, when I am resting, someone (usually a family member) tells me to quit being lazy and get up and do something.
In my current post-operative state, I have no choice but to rest. However, this predicament reminds me of a Biblical story that captures the essence of this struggle well: the tale of Mary and Martha.
Mary and Martha and You
To dive deeper into the full Biblical narrative of Mary and Martha, you can read Luke 10:38–42. Otherwise, here’s a summary: Jesus visits the home of Martha and her sister, Mary. Martha is busy with preparations and tasks, striving to be the perfect host, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, focusing on His teachings. Martha, feeling overwhelmed, asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus gently replies that Mary has chosen the better path by prioritizing stillness and sitting with Jesus over the demands of hospitality.
Now, I don’t know how you feel about this story, but I am definitely sympathetic to Martha. Perhaps that is because, in an archetypal sense, I am much more like Martha. Martha…
