Messy Mark

Mark was older than Byron. He was the messy one. When he took off his clothes, he just dropped them and forgot them. Byron always hung up his clothes. When Byron finished playing with his toys, he put them away. Mark never finished playing with his toys, so they were never put away.

Mom and Dad had given them a nice bedroom with two little beds, so the boys could talk together. They thought that their two boys would be best friends and share everything. Byron carefully made his bed each morning, but not Mark. He forgot all about it. But the boys did talk together.

“Why don’t you make your bed?”

“I’ve got other things to do!”

Or, later, “I can’t find my green sweater.”

“I don’t see how you ever find anything when everything is lying around.”

And then, “You broke my house. I worked on that a long time yesterday.”

“Well, it’s your fault. You should put up your stuff.”

When Mark ate at the table, he talked with his mouth open and waved his arms. He spilled milk or juice at almost every meal. Mom or Dad would make him be quiet, but then he would forget. Byron was disgusted. Mark reminded him of a pig he had seen once.

“Mother,” Byron said when Mark was outside. “Why is Mark so messy?”

Mother was quiet. Then she said, “God makes us all different, dear. Some of us are more thoughtful. Some of us don’t consider others much. Some are sensitive and find it hard to forgive. Others aren’t easily bothered and forgive quickly. Some value their money—sometimes too much—while money isn’t important to others.”

Byron didn’t say anything. Mark hardly ever got mad, while he struggled not to be angry a lot.

“God puts different kinds of people in the same family,” Mother said, “so that they can learn to get along with each other.”

“But, Mother,” cried Byron, “it’s horrible! He doesn’t make his bed until you tell him, and everything is on the floor, and he leaves his stuff on the desk….”

“I know,” Mother said, hugging him. “Daddy and I will pray about it again and ask the Lord what to do.”

After that, things changed in the boy’s bedroom. A line was drawn down the middle of the room. One side was Byron’s side and the other was Mark’s. As Mark saw how neatly and carefully Byron took care of his stuff, he became a little more careful. And Byron began to see how free Mark was from cares and worries.

If you happened to go to their home, you might hear this scripture read:

“She had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 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 10:39-42)

And you might happen to notice the faces of Byron and Mark, because they would always smile at each other when this Bible story was read.