Which sister are you?

In recent days my attention has been drawn to a simple truth revealed in 4 little verses at the end of Luke 10.

First, I love that this story is about 2 women. There aren't many stories like this in scripture, which only leads me to believe I need to pay extra attention here. The story starts at vs 38 when -Martha- invites Jesus and the disciples into her home. Jesus enters, and Martha's sister Mary parks it right at his... *feet. Martha being a hospitable woman works herself and her attention away in the preparations for her guests. But gets agitated because she's the only one working.

So she comes in and in an attempt to humiliate her sister, she actually humiliates herself.

Complaining that she's the only one serving, "Lord, don't you care? Tell her to help me". Jesus responds by calling her name *twice... she seriously wasn't paying attention was she?
"Martha, Martha, you are upset and worried over many things when only one is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." The story ends here. Interesting isn't it?

Some would say Martha was a selfish woman interested in gaining both the attention and approval of Jesus by serving Him in the ways she was taught. But I like to think she was geniunly trying to do what she felt in her heart would be most pleasing to her Lord. Misguided by herself, her culture, and those around her she lost sight of what was before her, in her living room. Women were and are called to do those things... those "serving" things. We cook, clean, teach Sunday school, take care of the house, etc.... Those expectations were and are present, yes, but there is more to this story.

Jesus described Martha as worried and upset, obviously because her sister wasn't doing "enough" in her eyes. She wasn't 'serving' enough. To her surprise, Jesus rebukes that and in turn pulls a 180. Mary was doing what was far more important, and glorifying to Christ, and yet in Martha's eyes she was doing nothing?

See a present day parallel yet?

Mary was giving Christ her attention*, not her service. She was giving Him the highest honor, her most valuable possession. The one thing she could give and never get back. Not her pots, wines and bread. But her time. Martha's offering was replaceable, therefore not worth much. Mary's offering represented the element of true worship.

To be honest, I'm worried that we find ourselves here more often than we could even begin to consciously realize. Misguided by -whoever- and believing that what we can do for Jesus is somehow more important than what He can do for us. We want to be teachers and not students. The bible warns us against this, saying that those who do not have a teachable Spirit will be like [ 2 Timothy 3:7 ] “Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Don't be a Martha, and don't wait 20 years before admitting you already are one. Don't look around at your sister Mary, telling her she isn't doing 'enough' because she isn't doing what you're doing. Don't slave away in service and never hear the words of Christ. Jesus warns that these things will be taken from us, but His words, His teachings, His Spirit cannot be taken away. The story ends at Jesus' words and so we do not know Martha's fate but we know our own.

Be the Mary, who gives what she cannot keep to gain what she cannot lose.





With the humble imitation of Mary,
-S

where did ya come from, where did ya go

It's been QUITE the year! woaaah, and its been months since I've been on here.
For what its worth, I've missed it!

This has been one of the craziest years of my life thus far. I've been on such a wild ride.. and its been good... ?!

I say that after being so miserable while getting on and staying on, but I think now I'm learning how* to be on the ride. There's a difference between going somewhere consciously and unconsciously. When you're conscious your chances of thinking straight and making some logical decisions are more likely than when you're unconscious of it all.

I think this post is a reflection. A reflection of where I came from, behind me in previous posts. And a reflection of where I'm going, the posts ahead of this one to come.

Scared? Absolutely.
Excited? Not really.

Ready? Hands down!

-S