Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: A Tale of Two Sisters

 ³⁸ Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:38-42)



Author Joanna Weaver takes this story and draws us in, describing to us the conflict we feel as women.  Needing to work and to mind our jobs and our families and yet, desparately needing to spend time in the word, time with our Lord and Saviour, learning and growing in him as well.   But sometimes that just feels like yet one more thing to add to our list of things to do.  

Here we find Martha, hard at work, caring for 13 men, minding the servants, the meal prep and all that needed to be done, feeling frazzled and looking for help, and what does she find?  Her sister, apparently chilling out, just sitting there listening to the men talk.  GAH...how frustrated she must have been, so frustrated in fact that she appealed to her guests to get her sister to help her with her work, and then she is told "Mary has chosen the good portion".

Oh... I can just see Martha's heart.  So frustrated, so needing help, and she's told that she hasn't chosen correctly.  That her layabout sister has done it.

How hard that would have been for her to hear eh?

But do you notice something...that's not what Jesus said.
All he said was "Mary has chosen a good portion and it will not be taken away from her."  He didn't say that Martha had done wrong.  He didn't.

Ms. Weaver goes on to tell us that Martha had this choice as well. To choose to stop and listen, to take in the words of the Lord.  She had that choice, perhaps not an easy choice, but a choice none the less.  Her service was NOT discounted... HEAR THAT. 

Therein lies the dichotomy though eh...that ying yang.  Knowing that sitting and listening is  GOOD PORTION, but that doesn't negate the service we do. BUT that serving and doing that we do and that comes so easily, doesn't negate the necessity of the listening and learning that we need to do as well.  

So the question is this: How do we find that balance?  How do we make time for that good portion?   Even when it is so hard to do so.  HOW?

Put first things first.  Get off the performance wheel.  The "I need to do this thing".  Seek after the Lord, see the importance of learning from him first.  God wants us to "be still and know that he is God".

Remember that salvation is about what you do...it's all about what Jesus did.  That's what it comes down to.   If we remember this truth, it will help us to stop and be still and know God. 

So come and rest.  Come, sit, listen, learn.  Do the right thing first.

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