Mary or Martha?...

One of my most favorite movies of all time is White Christmas. When I was growing up, it always came on TV on Christmas Eve, and my family would gather round to watch it every year. Then I shared it with my girls, and we continue to watch it every Christmas season. There is just something wonderful and wholesome about the story and its characters. My dad was a WW II vet - maybe that was one reason it hit a soft spot with our family. But I loved the music and the dance scenes as well. And I loved Rosemary Cloony! The one song besides the title song that has always stayed with me is "Sisters."

• Sisters, Sisters. There were never such devoted sisters...
• All kinds of weather, we stick together; the same in the rain and sun...
• Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister,
• And lord help the sister who comes between me and my man!

The relationship between sisters may be one of the most complicated of family relationships. It is filled with love, friendship, jealousy, resentment, contempt, and the list goes on. I know because I have a sister. I also have a brother (I wanted to mention him in case he ever reads this!) I also know this because I am the mother of two sisters. So, I've seen  this sister-thing from different vantage points. You can say things to a sister that you can't or would never say to anyone else - both good and bad things. You learn to read a sister's face and body language - you know when she is happy, in love, jealous, angry or put-out - especially with you.

So, I think it's fitting that Jesus chose to teach us a lesson(s) through two sisters, Mary and Martha, at the end of Luke 10 (v. 38-42). Jesus and His disciples had been traveling for weeks from village to village teaching about the Kingdom of God, healing the sick, and casting out demons. They were tired, thirsty, and covered in road dust. As they came into this particular village, Martha welcomed them into her home. We don't know a lot about this family other than they also had a brother, Lazarus (John 11). We learn later that Jesus and the brother developed a deep friendship. We don't know about husbands or children.

What we do know is that these two sisters were opposites. Martha was a "doer," and Mary was a "listener." Martha was the leader; Mary was the follower. In this situation, Martha welcomed Jesus and the boys into her home and quickly got busy preparing to serve them. No doubt she was a great hostess and homemaker. She went about her work, using her gift of service. Mary, on the other hand, never made it to the kitchen to help Martha prepare the meal. She was mesmerized by Jesus and sat at His feet and listened as He talked.  As with any "good" sister, this ticked Martha off! She did the unbelieveable - went to her guest, Jesus, and tattled! My goodness, you would think they were five years old! She actually complained that Mary wasn't helping her in the kitchen and actually asked Him to tell Mary to get in there and help her! I can't imagine...if I had ever done something like that to my sister, well, let's just say I would not be here to write this blog!!!

But Mary didn't react. Now, I have to say that if I had been Mary, a cat-fight would have insued. Instead, Jesus looked into Martha's eyes and basically said, "Martha Martha, calm down. You are getting yourself worked up over nothing...Only one thing is essential, and Mary has chosen it, and it's the main course..." (The Message) That could be interpreted as Jesus getting on to Martha. But I've read this in several versions and my trusty commentary, and none of them indicate that was intended or implied. Instead, I see Jesus saying those words with empathy and concern in His voice. Why? Because that's His M.O. - He always treated people who were seeking to know Him with compasion.

So, what did He mean? Martha had chosen to serve the Lord and got busy doing just that. Is that bad? Well, sometimes, it is. Just being busy "doing" is not all that Jesus wants or deserves. Sometimes we can get so busy doing good things, that we don't even think about "why" we are doing them or for Whom. I can get really busy doing church/God related activities. I study, I teach, I help with the drama productions, I work on the Women's Ministry team organizing Bible studies and helping with events, I help with the Fall Festival, I help with Operation Christmas Child, I help with Heart Beat, I do..., I help..., I do...! Wow, am I busy for the Lord, or what??? All those are good things, but at what point and how often do I take time to just sit at His feet and listen to Him? That's the main course, the most important activity we can do for Him (and for ourselves) is to spend time with Him, soaking in all He has to teach us. That's how we grow our relationship with Him deeper. It's through that relationship that true meaning and purpose is found in the things we do.

Yes, we should be about "doing" for Jesus, but never before we have "sat" with Him. We need a little bit of Martha and a whole lot more of Mary so our life with Him will be healthy and balanced.