Coty Pinckney, in a sermon, “Service in His Name by His Power”:
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Luke 10:38-40
Jesus and His entourage enter the village. Remember, at this time there are no cell phones, not even any landlines. People always drop in without notice. Quite likely Mary and Martha didn’t even know they were coming. It’s quite a surprise to have these people arrive. Martha welcomes them, she wants to serve them – but probably she had no opportunity to plan.
Do note that Jesus is not acting rudely. To us Americans, it seems rude to arrive unannounced and expect a meal. This was not the case in first century Judea. Indeed, even today in many cultures the opposite holds: it is rude to visit someone and not to stay for a meal. I’ve visited African homes where I was left alone for an hour or more while the host caught, killed, plucked, and cooked a chicken in my honor. Hospitality is of central importance in such a culture.
Martha believes that also. She sees hospitality as vitally important. She feels, “It is my responsibility to make my guests feel welcome, to serve them, to meet their needs.” So she does. The group is unexpected, but she wants to serve them, and wants to serve them well.
Meanwhile, her sister Mary is doing nothing! She’s not playing her proper role as a hostess! All she does is sit at Jesus’ feet and listen!
So Martha thinks, “Mary should be loving her neighbor as she loves herself. She is just being selfish, sitting there listening. She should be serving with me, helping me care for all these guests.” So what does Martha do? Undoubtedly she tried to get Mary’s attention, making hand signals, mouthing words – but Mary either doesn’t notice or ignores her sister. She just sits there, listening to Jesus.
Finally Martha has had enough. She goes up to Jesus, and more or less accuses Him: “Don’t you care about me and the task I’m trying to accomplish? Hospitality is important! Look at what Mary’s doing – or rather, not doing. Tell her to help!”
Don’t dismiss Martha here. She is trying her best to obey a vitally important biblical command. There is a sense in which she is doing exactly what the Good Samaritan did. Like the Good Samaritan, she is confronted with an unexpected need. Like the Good Samaritan, she is giving up her time and resources to help meet this need.
So what’s wrong? Luke says she was “distracted with much serving.” Distracted from what? Jesus tells her:
41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
She is distracted from “the one necessary thing.” What does Jesus mean? I think He means this: “Martha, you’re thinking about lots of things. And I’m not saying they are unimportant. But you’ve forgotten what is most important. You’re trying to serve a meal of food. Mary has chosen to eat a meal of the Word of God. That’s the best portion of food she could ever eat. And I’m not going to take that from her!”
As one commentator says, “This is Luke’s message to [all] disciples: sit at Jesus’ feet and devour his teaching, since there is no more important meal.”
So what is the “one necessary thing”? Coming to know and love God with all your heart.
Jesus says Mary has chosen “the good portion.” The picture here is of God Himself as our portion of food, or our portion of the family’s inheritance. This is a frequent image in the Old Testament. Here are a couple of examples:
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26
The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words. Psalm 119:57
The psalmist is saying, “I will be satisfied with You; I will long for nothing else. I will feed on you.” God is His portion. He is satisfied in Him.
Martha thought she was loving her neighbor as herself. But in her attempt to serve, she did not make God her portion. Her portion instead was what? Her service. That’s what became most important to her. So in the midst of trying to serve, she failed to keep the greatest commandment. She failed to love the Lord her God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength. She failed to desire God above all.
My friends, you cannot trade off the second greatest commandment with the first. You must fulfill them both.
So think of these two stories:
- The Good Samaritan: Lesson: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. And your neighbor is everyone you encounter with a need. You are God’s representative. You are to show His love. You are to advance the kingdom.
- Mary and Martha: Lesson: Love God with all your heart. Don’t be distracted from loving Him by your service to others. He is your portion, nothing else.
I hope you’re now asking yourselves, “Huh? Aren’t these two conclusions contradictory?” Indeed, if Martha had heard the story of the Good Samaritan, I think she would have felt like screaming at this point! “Jesus, I’m trying to do what You say! But You’re impossible! You tell me to love all these people who cross my path. But then when I try to do that, You tell me I must sit and listen at your feet! How can I possibly do both?”
Have you felt like that? I have. Lots of times. Perhaps you sit down to read your Bible early in the morning. You’re convicted about your lack of time in the Word, and you’ve managed to get up early, before anyone else in the house is awake. You pray to God, asking for alertness and insight, and read the first sentence – then your baby wakes up crying. You never get back to the Word.
Then you try to sit down in the evening once your kids are asleep. You read the second sentence – and the phone rings. A friend has problems, and needs your help. You talk for half an hour – and then go to bed.
The next day you decide to get away for a time of prayer. You arrange for someone to watch you kids, then walk to a lovely, isolated spot. You are about to begin to pray when your cell phone rings. You answer. Another friend has a need. You talk – and by the time you finish, you need to return home to get back to your kids.
Does that sound familiar?
Jesus calls us to serve. Jesus calls us to seek God’s face. And He doesn’t seem to give any guidelines for balance.
How do you fulfill both the greatest and the second greatest commandment?
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 