Mary or Martha

Mary or Martha

Luke 10:38-41

            This is one of the great stories from the gospels.  Preachers love it because they can force a choice, making people listen harder to the sermon than perhaps they might usually do, because they will be asked to place themselves into one of two camps.  But is that the only possible reading of the story?

            You remember:  Jesus is visiting with his friends Mary and Martha, two apparently unwed sisters, who live (also apparently) with their brother Lazarus—the one Jesus raises from the dead just before he heads for Jerusalem and his execution.  Martha is busy cooking dinner, neatening up the house, serving appetizers—all the things we would expect a good hostess to be doing to make her guest welcome and comfortable.  We can imagine her with a calm but set expression on her face as she moves from one task to another, busily making her way from kitchen to living room to the well outside—calm on the surface, but steaming on the inside. 

            You see, while she’s running around the house, her sister isn’t lifting a finger to help.  Instead, she’s sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening with rapt attention to every word he’s saying, learning from the rabbi—this great teacher who speaks with more knowledge and authority than anyone she’s ever met.  In addition, Jesus is actually paying attention to her, a woman!  No man has ever given her the least notice before, let alone spent valuable time with her. 

            Martha is not happy about this state of affairs.  She is making a real show of being busy, hurrying from one task to another, and completing each one with a finality that says, “There!  Look at what I’ve done.  Aren’t I a good worker, a good hostess, a worthy person?”

            Finally she can stand it no longer.  “Jesus!” she says, “Haven’t you noticed how I’m working my fingers to the bone to make everything perfect?  And look at Mary!  She’s doing nothing at all to help.  Tell her to get up and do her share!”  We know Jesus’ answer—probably have it memorized. 

            “Martha, Martha.  I always feel at home when I’m with you two.  You don’t have to go to all this trouble for me.  I appreciate all you do, but not if it comes at the expense of your good nature.  A good hostess is the one who makes her guests feel relaxed, and your hustle and bustle won’t let me feel that way.  Mary has chosen a better path to making me welcome.”

            Well!  That’s certainly not what Martha expected to hear!  I wonder what she did next.  Did she apologize for her unloving feelings?  Did she join her sister at the Master’s feet?  Did the evening end happily?  We’ll never know this side of heaven, will we?

            It’s at this point that the preacher calls for a decision.  “Who are you?  Are you overly busy, overworked Martha, or are you quiet and attentive Mary?  Do you choose to be the hostess with the mostest, or to learn from the greatest teacher in all history?”

            But is a choice really necessary?  Aren’t we all a little of both?  We spend time with Jesus in prayer and Bible reading.  We try to live our lives the way Jesus lived his.  But sometimes we get so busy with everyday life that we forget our spiritual life.  Sometimes we need an attitude adjustment because we have chosen the good instead of the best.

            In a gift shop recently I read this prayer on a wall hanging.  It’s worth remembering.

            “Help me, Lord, as I work today with my Martha hands, to maintain my Mary heart.”

            Amen!