By Shirley Mitchell
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ ”
Please don’t make the mistake of thinking Mary did not know that she had some responsibility to finish the chores and preparation of the home. She was not lazy either. Don’t minimize the fullness of her choice. She chose to respond to the situation differently than her sister. She chose to spend time in the Lord’s presence. She made the better choice.
Not only did Mary’s choice benefit her, Jesus allowed the situation to expose Martha’s heart. If Mary had been helping, then the incident would not have occurred which revealed Martha’s insecurities and feelings. Isn’t that encouraging that when we choose wisely and worship Him, that not only will Jesus defend us to the ones who point their fingers at us, but He also is able to expose their hearts? Mary kept quiet and let the Lord handle Martha. I had to share this truth with one of my daughters. Many times I have told her that the volume of her crying and complaining against her sister who has wronged her is so loud that I can’t get to the heart of her sister.
Mary’s choice benefited herself. It benefited Martha. It also benefited all women. In Mary’s time, a woman was expected to be concerned about many things, but never about ideas. No woman had been allowed to discuss spiritual matters with a man other than her husband. Women were treated as house slaves, men’s property. The Jewish religion was male-dominated. Women were only allowed to enter the women’s court of the temple to worship and in the gallery in the synagogues.
Jesus flung open the door to God’s view of womanhood. When He invited Mary to sit down at His feet and engage in Bible teaching, He shattered the gender barrier that separated women from the spiritual intimacy with their God. No longer were women at a distance, peering through the window, while men splashed in the pool of intimacy. Women were invited to dive in to splash around, too. Mary began the wave of women who chose the better part. I pray that you and I will never let it be taken from us again, nor will we give it away through being consumed by many things that breed neglect.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, my God, I want to be like Mary and sit at Your feet. Help me to prioritize my life and to put You first. Make me attentive and not neglectful. I cry out for You! May my friends and my loved ones also splash into the pool of intimacy with You. There are no barriers between us because Jesus broke them all. It’s in His precious name that I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ ”
Luke 10:38-42
Was honest labor being rebuked? Was hospitality? What was wrong with caring about Jesus and the disciples, making sure they were well fed and comfortable, the linens were clean, and the food was tasty? What was Jesus really saying when He said that Mary had chosen what was better and it would not be taken from her?
Please don’t make the mistake of thinking Mary did not know that she had some responsibility to finish the chores and preparation of the home. She was not lazy either. Don’t minimize the fullness of her choice. She chose to respond to the situation differently than her sister. She chose to spend time in the Lord’s presence. She made the better choice.
Not only did Mary’s choice benefit her, Jesus allowed the situation to expose Martha’s heart. If Mary had been helping, then the incident would not have occurred which revealed Martha’s insecurities and feelings. Isn’t that encouraging that when we choose wisely and worship Him, that not only will Jesus defend us to the ones who point their fingers at us, but He also is able to expose their hearts? Mary kept quiet and let the Lord handle Martha. I had to share this truth with one of my daughters. Many times I have told her that the volume of her crying and complaining against her sister who has wronged her is so loud that I can’t get to the heart of her sister.
Mary’s choice benefited herself. It benefited Martha. It also benefited all women. In Mary’s time, a woman was expected to be concerned about many things, but never about ideas. No woman had been allowed to discuss spiritual matters with a man other than her husband. Women were treated as house slaves, men’s property. The Jewish religion was male-dominated. Women were only allowed to enter the women’s court of the temple to worship and in the gallery in the synagogues.
Jesus flung open the door to God’s view of womanhood. When He invited Mary to sit down at His feet and engage in Bible teaching, He shattered the gender barrier that separated women from the spiritual intimacy with their God. No longer were women at a distance, peering through the window, while men splashed in the pool of intimacy. Women were invited to dive in to splash around, too. Mary began the wave of women who chose the better part. I pray that you and I will never let it be taken from us again, nor will we give it away through being consumed by many things that breed neglect.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, my God, I want to be like Mary and sit at Your feet. Help me to prioritize my life and to put You first. Make me attentive and not neglectful. I cry out for You! May my friends and my loved ones also splash into the pool of intimacy with You. There are no barriers between us because Jesus broke them all. It’s in His precious name that I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
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