Dear Readers,

Enjoy this previously posted devotional as we begin this year’s study of “Living By His Example.”

“Now it happened as they went that He (Jesus) entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’ And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:38-42

Martha, Martha

I am a “Martha”. I am a doer. I live my life from the perspective of doing. I wake up thinking, “What am I going to do today?” On vacation I’m thinking, “What can we do?”

I’m almost always thinking of “doing”. For many years, as I read the story in Luke 10:38-42, I felt for Martha’s cause. How could her sister just sit there while there was all this stuff to do?! How could Jesus scold Martha?! I didn’t understand why He was so hard on her. Seriously, who was going to prepare the meal, clean up the eating area, set the table, get the food on the table?! Poor Martha, left to do all that work while Mary just sat there!

I honestly I didn’t get the story. To this “Martha”, all I could do was sympathize with that “Martha”. 

Thankfully, Jesus understood this “Martha”, and didn’t leave her in disgusted confusion with the story. He helped me understand more each time I read the story. 

He showed me John 11:5. “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister…” Jesus loved Martha. Jesus loved Mary. 

He showed me John 12:2. “There they made Him a supper; and Martha served…” Mary had helped prepare the meal. Martha was doing what she was gifted with…she served.

Jesus showed me that the problem was not Martha’s “doing”. The problem was her focus. Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word”. Martha was distracted with much serving (doing!). 

Did the “doing” need to be done? Yes. 

Did Martha’s attitude need to be “distracted, worried, or troubled”? No.

Martha would not have been distracted, worried, or troubled if her heart-attitude had been that of sitting at Jesus’ feet hearing His words. Jesus loves all of us “Martha’s”, but knows there is the flip-side of this gift of helps–we can get bossy and feel put-upon if we don’t keep our hearts “sitting at Jesus’ feet”. 

How is your heart-attitude today? Is it a day where your heart is sitting at Jesus’ feet hearing His words?

“Father-God, thank You that You keep growing us. Thank You for loving us. Help our hearts be like Mary’s. Help us to sit at Your feet and hear Your words…even when we are busy “doing”. May our “doing” bring glory to Your name. Amen.”