Caught Up With The Twiddles
Julia Bettencourt

"Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. "
Luke 10:42

Do you ever get to twiddling about things? The dictionary definition of 'twiddle' is to "twirl or play with lightly or idly" or " to be busy about trifles". There are things in our lives that we engage ourselves in that are nothing more than twiddling. We harp, nag, argue over, worry over, debate, and fuss and fiddle over things that are not going to make a bit of difference when it comes to eternity.

When we twiddle about things amongst ourselves as Christians, all the world sees is fighting, bickering, and hypocritical people. In turn it causes them not to want any part of Christianity, and can we really blame them? Individually, when we twiddle as a Christian, it can lead to a stunted and incomplete life.

We all have our twiddle topics. For some of us it's all wrapped up in appearance, hair, dress, etc. For others it's how our church may be run or not run, the color of the carpet, the money spent on an air conditioner, the way the choir sings or other things. You may twiddle over a topic that you and your husband just can't agree about. For some it's something they worry over all the time and just can't give over to the Lord. For others it may be more "spiritual" topics but they bring out the twiddles in people just the same.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing that we twiddle about. I know people who will argue certain points of Scripture for hours but for some reason I don't see those same people out witnessing for hours or even accomplishing much for Christ. They are too busy just rolling that twiddle topic around in their hands and in their hearts. With every roll and turn it burns deeper into their skin, usually only leading to anger, hurt, disappointment, and wasted time. And what did they really accomplish? I've known good godly people that have got off on a tangent about some topic or subject until it just consumed them and they lost all effectiveness as a Christian. They may be a very vocal Christian, but they are not very fruitful.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't stand firm on our beliefs and on the Word of God. That goes without saying, but when we hold our twiddle topics in our hands and play with them and twirl them through our fingers we can miss the wonderful things God has in store for us. I think so many of us as Christians miss those windows of blessings and opportunity that God opens for us and puts in our path because here we sat, twidding, and we missed it.

Basically we twiddle over opinions, whether they are wrong or right opinions, it doesn't matter. All that twiddling takes away from the things that we know the Bible instructs us to do as Christians. It throws us off balance. There are so many things in the Scripture that if we consentrated on putting as much energy in them as we do over things that we somehow placed on a pedistal of importance, think how much we would accomplish for Christ. Here are just a few verses to call us back to reality.

"Love one another" John 13:34

"Pray without ceasing" I Thessalonians 5:17

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Oh, if we could all just set our petty things aside and concentrate on what really matters and have the attitude of John 9:4.

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4

Remember what Christ said to Martha when she wanted Him to tell Mary to help her with the serving?

"But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:40-42

I always get a thrill when I read that verse in Luke 10:42 when he calls her name twice. "Martha, Martha". Don't you just love that? Wouldn't you just love to have a video tape of that moment in time? I would love to see the look on Christ's face when he calls her name twice like that. Do you think perhaps he was shaking his head just a little when He said it? I think sometimes we all need the "Martha, Martha" call back to reality to realize what's important and what's just twiddling. There are things we've just got to lay down and stop rolling through our fingers and playing with or our relationship to Christ and to others around us too will suffer. Above that, the cause of Christ will suffer.

Ask Yourself.

l.) What's in my life that I twiddle with? Do I have something that I seem to harp on all the time? It doesn't have to be a bad thing but anything that invades our life to such a point that we are consumed by it, it can throw us off balance as a Christian.

2.) Does this twiddle topic take over my life and use up all my time, use up all my energy, so I don't have the strength in my Christian life that I need?

3.) Is my twiddling with this thing really accomplishing anything for Christ and eternity? Does it cause me to bear fruit for the Lord? Is it worth all the effort I put into it?


When I reach the end of this life, I don't want just a basket full of twiddles to lay at Christ's feet. I want to accomplish more. I want that "good part" like Mary.
So, what are you twiddling over today?

Scripture References are from the King James Version.
Copyright ©2003 Julia Bettencourt
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