Today I was reminded again of the story of Mary and Martha (10:38-42). It is a well-known story that particularly speaks to our hectic, busy lives. It is interesting that this story comes on the heels of Luke 9:32-35 in which Peter starts talking without really knowing what he was saying and God commands, This is My Son…listen to Him!
I never put the two stories together but their closeness in context seems to create a connection between them. Martha was a lot like Peter. She always had to be doing something. While Peter’s mouth was always moving, Martha’s hands and feet were always moving. We usually applaud such busyness and tireless service. Martha is the ultimate worker in the church…always involved and getting things done. This is a good thing….most of the time.
Luke identifies the problem in Martha’s life when he says, She had a sister Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made (10:39-40a). Jesus further sheds light on the problem when He tells her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things… (10:41a).
Distracted. Worried. Upset. That is how we know we are too busy…when the joy of the Lord is sucked right out of us and our time with the Lord is squeezed out by too many other things.
And just like Martha, when we get like this, we usually start blaming others for not helping us enough rather than examining the condition of our heart. Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me! You can hear the frustration in her voice. We often say the same thing. “Lord, I am overwhelmed because nobody is helping me. Tell them to help me!” The Lord gently responds, “Child, the problem is not with others. The problem is with yourself.”
Martha teaches us that it is not just “bad things” that pull us away from the Lord. It is often too many “good things” which simply crowd out the best thing, the one thing that is needed…spending time listening, resting, and rejoicing in the Lord.
I know this is true in my own life. I see it constantly. The days I carve out time early to focus on the Lord…to take time to meditate on some truth from His Word…to ask for the filling of His Spirit…to spend some quiet time in the car not listening to the radio but praying to Him and for others…these are the days that have a quiet sense of peace and joy about them, even in the midst of life’s busyness. On the other hand, the days I jump right into the fray, juggling things left and right, and complaining that the days are too short and the help from others is too little are the days that I find myself distracted, worried, and upset.
Martha, Martha, 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.