Martha or Mary

Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 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." 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Here what do you see? The first picture... Do you see a Martha laboring to serve Jesus the Lord? Do you think Martha is serving out of willingness or obligation? Do you think Martha is wrong to blame Jesus and her sister for not helping her? Do you think Martha loves Jesus more than Mary? Do you think Martha is wrong to serve Jesus?

If you have been in a Church for sometimes, you've probably seen many Marthas around and if you are not one yet, you'd probably being asked by one to some sort of ministry works. You probably being asked by one to go out and save the lost. You probably being told by one that it's your duty to serve the Lord and His people. You probably heard one saying Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. You'll probably be a Martha soon.

My answers to the first picture... I'm sure you'd agree with me that Martha is laboring to serve Jesus out of her own effort. And she served willingly and also with obligation. If I were Martha I would also blame Jesus and Mary for not helping. I believe Martha loves Jesus as much as Mary. Martha is definitely not wrong to serve Jesus but there is something more important than serving.

The second picture... Do you see a resting Mary enjoying Jesus' companion or a lazy Mary avoiding the works of serving? Do you think Mary is right for not helping Martha? Do you think Mary loves Jesus less? Do you think Jesus loves Mary more? What do you think is the "One thing needed" said by Jesus?

My answers to the second picture are... I'm sure you would agree that Mary is resting to receive from Jesus. Helping Martha is good but resting to receive from Jesus is the priority here. I've said Martha and Mary both loves Jesus the same and likewise Jesus loves both of them the same. Mary has done the "One thing needed" by sitting at Jesus' feet to hear His word.

How many Martha have seen left the ministry or the Church after devotedly serving the Lord? Either due to strife with other members or stress from the overwhelmed works. Burnt out is natural term used to describe a Martha. If you were one, you'd know what it is. From the two pictures we learnt that Jesus wants us to be like Mary and not Martha because He wants us to sit at His feet and receive from Him rather than worrying and troubled of the ministry works in serving Him.

You may ask who then would do those works? How to run a Church without the workers? How to praise and worship without the musicians? How can the people be saved without a preacher? How? How?... Hold on a minute! who is running the Church? You or Christ? But only if we receive from Him, we then can grow strong and bear good fruits and so shall be the ministries and the Church too. When the fruits come forth you wouldn't be able to content it even if you want to. From the surface it might look like Mary is selfish for not helping but not according to Jesus because she has chosen the good part doing that "one thing needed". Later we see Mary was found doing the right thing at the right time anointing the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair preparing Him for His final moment. (John 11:2)

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying don't serve the Lord but do that one thing needed first and you shall serve Him well and never burn out like Martha. All ministries must be run by the fruits of the Spirit and not the works of men and from the results would easily tell if it is by the fruits of the Spirit or by effort of men. So why worried and troubled about many things? The Lord is in control. Rest in Him first and you shall serve Him well. Always hear Him first!