Poor Martha has been berated for decades in modern evangelical studies for women. She is painted as the workaholic who was chastised by Jesus. By subtle suggestion, years of bible studies instructed a whole generation of women that Martha was the lesser Christian because she wasn’t living the Christian life correctly. Martha’s story is found in Luke 10.
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him” (Luke 10:38 NIV).
Oh, how sweet! Opening your home to a friend who is traveling is exactly what a good Jewish person would do. And Jesus had a good relationship with the family. Mary, Martha’s sister, was the one who poured oil on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair (Matt 26:7-13). Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, is the one Jesus raised from the dead after he had been in the tomb for four days (John 11:1-44). John states plainly that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5). Jesus was a friend of the family.
“She (Martha) 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!” (Luke 10:39-40).
This is where Martha gets in trouble with modern sensibilities. Martha should serve with a good attitude. Martha should be worshiping the Lord. Martha should be serving the Lord without complaint. Martha surely should not be a tattletale and grumbling about her own sister!
We expect Jesus to tell her how she should be feeling and what she should be doing. But what did Jesus say to Martha?
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed- or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
Martha was gifted to be a servant and she openly proclaimed faith in Jesus as the Messiah (John 11:27). In John 12:2, Jesus returned to Bethany and Martha is once again serving Jesus in her home. People with a heart to serve others are always serving.
What’s the problem here? Should Martha sit at the feet of Jesus and let the meal prep go undone, as has often been suggested? Is it true that the choice here is to be Martha or be Mary, a good Christian or a bad Christian? Or is it possible Martha could have prepared the meal, been busy around the house and accomplish the “one thing” that was better at the same time?
It’s interesting that Jesus doesn’t specifically identify the “one thing” that is better. It reminds me of the character named Curly in the movie City Slickers. Billy Chrystal’s character and friends are on a mid-life crisis Cowboy adventure. The old cowboy tells Billy Chrystal that the secret to life is “one thing” but never tells him what the one thing is. Billy Chrystal has to figure that out on his own.
I don’t know specifically what the “one thing” is that Jesus had in mind. The commentaries are full of suggestions. But I do know that the “one thing” is the opposite of “distracted” (Luke 10:39), “worried, and upset” (10:41). Martha’s demeanor was rebuked while Mary’s demeanor was praised. Martha was distracted, worried, and upset. So it might be suggested that Mary was focused, trusting, and at peace.
We have all had those moments. In the middle of doing something good and right, something that we really wanted to do, we forget why we are doing it. Maybe we are cooking a large meal for a family gathering or volunteering with an organization that means a lot to us. We serve in the church, help at the food pantry, help our kids with their homework. All good and worthwhile efforts. Just for an instant we think about how much work we are doing, how alone we are in our good efforts, or the rising cost of needed supplies. Suddenly, the joy of serving is gone and the peace of the presence of Jesus has disappeared.
We don’t have to sit down and just listen to have the demeaner of Mary. Paul wrote that we should “set our minds on things above and not on earthly things” (Col 3:2). In the same chapter, Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as unto the Lord” (Col 3:23). The idea here is to always have the presence of Jesus in mind, whether you’re sitting in worship or serving in the nursery. A worshipping demeanor, no matter where you are or what you are doing, is the opposite of distracted, worried, and upset.
And remember, Martha had a busy, bad day. But still, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5).
Copyright@ TA Boland 2021
Photo credit:istockimages.com
Remains of a house in Bethany, Israel, traditionally
thought to be the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
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