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You may have heard of the two sisters that are mentioned in the new testament, Mary and Martha. If not, these were two sisters that loved Jesus dearly. They were friends of Jesus. However, they showed Jesus love quite a bit differently. Mary being the listener, loyal and attentive one, while Martha was more of the doer, hospitable and hard-working of the two. Is there really one way to love Jesus that is better than the other?
Well, according to Jesus; yes, there is. When Jesus and his disciples came upon the sisters' village, Martha opened up her home for them. She immediately began serving the Lord. Whereas Mary came to Jesus, sat as His feet and became still, quiet, and attentive. When Martha became frustrated that Mary wasn't helping serve, she came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me?"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are a worrier and upset with many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
What does this story tell us about Jesus? What does it tell us about how we should live our lives?
First of all, it tells us that to obey the greatest commandment which is stated in the gospel of Matthew and Luke by Jesus when He refers to Duetornonmy 6:4 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all our strength.
All. All of us. We should basically be giving Jesus our ALL. Our complete undivided attention.
It is so easy to be consumed in this life by "doing." And if our doing (which can also be serving) comes at a cost of wanting recognition, complaining, or failing to notice why we are serving in the first place, we need to reconsider what we are doing and "why we are doing it!"
Martha wanted to serve Jesus, and as followers of Him, we should serve Him. Offering our gifts and talents and spreading the love of Christ is serving; and we are called to do just that. However, Martha was called out for was being a worrier and upset. She made her hospitality become more about pride than about service. She wanted to love Jesus but wanted her sister to love Him the way she was, by being busy.
All Jesus wanted was them - their heart. Their time.
Mary gave just that. She gave Him her full attention. She gave Him her ALL.
Be a close friend of Jesus and sit at His feet. What does that look like? Kneeling to pray, opening up the Word, and putting away all distractions to spend time with JUST HIM. Giving Him your full undivided attention. Because in order to have a heart willing and ready to serve (like Martha) we must first spend time with Him (like Mary).
(Find the story here: Luke 10:38-42)