Over the years, I have heard several pastors and teacher use Luke 10 to teach present day Marthas to slow down.
I know an 80 year old Martha, I know a 40 year old Martha and I know a 30 year old Martha. I love them all dearly.
Would I tell any of them to act like Mary? Never...
.... but the question to you is this, "Would Jesus tell them to act like Mary?"
Luke 10:38-42
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."
But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
2 comments:
I think you are onto something.
I've talked with my man about this several times trying to get a better picture of what Jesus wanted us to get from all that scene.
I sense perhaps he wanted Mary to be where Mary needed to be at the moment, and Martha to be where Martha needed to be at the moment. Often, when we have to do work, we want everyone else to do the work with us, and when they will not or cannot, we judge.
I sense he's saying: stop complaining, do your thing wholeheartedly, stop having pity parties, stop being bossy, stop throwing leverage, and stop telling other people what to do. Be where you need to be, and don't worry about other places, things, and responsibilties. If you feel pulled to sit and soak. Do it. If you feel responsibility to get up and work, do it.
These things are consistent with what he taught the rest of the time. For Mary to be balanced and get a little Martha, or Martha to be more balanced and be a little like Mary...I see books on this, and that is a Christ-like balance. But, I'm not sure it's what he was really getting at in this text.
That's my greatly underqualified take on it.
I don't think you are underqualified, in fact, you see it the same way I do.
Jesus didn't want Martha to become like Mary any more than he wanted Mary to become like Martha.
The point was to be joyful in life and do your best without judging others. That is hard to do consistently.
I wonder if Martha bossed others around on a regular basis or she just caved in under the pressure that day?
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