Posts Tagged: Mary and Martha

“Only One Thing Needed”

On August 28, 2022 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Luke 10:38   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.” (English Standard Version)

We have all had the experience: We are working hard something nice for someone we like or want to impress. However, someone else is not pulling their weight, or at least we feel as if that person is not pulling his/her weight. Probably, our sympathies are more with Martha in the kitchen than with Mary in the living room.

But there may have been even more going on than Martha simply feeling overworked and understaffed. Sisters often love one another, but that doesn’t mean that they always get along with one another. It is also possible (though the story does not make this clear) that Martha was upset because Mary was “sitting at Jesus’ feet”, which is the position of a disciple of a religious teacher. In Jesus’ day, such positions were for men. In fact, there is a saying from about this time that states, “He who teaches a woman Torah (Law) is like one who casts pearls before swine.” Apparently, Jesus was not impressed with this saying.

But no matter what the real nature of Martha’s anger with her sister—and with Jesus—he says to Martha that only one thing is necessary. Jesus may be suggesting that Martha’s meal preparation is too complex and that she could have served him a soup or a casserole and just thrown everything in one pot. On the other hand, Jesus more likely is saying that Mary has chosen the good approach to him which is to listen attentively.

Sometimes, we want to serve God, but we make a serious blunder. Our desire may start out good, but then we become more focused on the service than on the God we serve. Perhaps God would like for us to just sit down quietly and listen. Maybe, service without discipled listening becomes self-serving and a source of conflict.

, , ,
Follow on Feedly