“It’s almost time! He’ll be here today!” Martha rushed
around in a dither knowing all that had to be done before their visitor
arrived. Yet, her excitement was such a rush that she couldn’t focus well and
she was getting overwhelmed. She had to get the food started because that took
the most time and other things could be accomplished while it cooked. But did
she have enough time to get it all done? It would be close. And, Mary was being
no help at all!
Now Mary, her sister, had a totally different outlook at the
coming of their visitor. Her mind was the focus of her preparation. The Rabbi
would have lots of ideas to instill in them. She wanted her thoughts to be calm
and at peace so her mind would be fertile soil for receiving the seeds of new
spiritual awakenings she was sure would be given. Martha was rushing around and
squawking so much it was difficult to hear oneself think!
But, the Rabbi was coming indeed, and his visit complicated
an otherwise calm village. Just his position made the visit a momentous
occasion, but, the fact that he was a close family friend increased the need
for diplomacy. The food had to be exceptional because of his office and a
desire to honor him; those accompanying him should see he was esteemed in this
home. Yet, because of his modest upbringing, his personal tastes were not those
of a connoisseur, unlike some others who held the same station. Their arrogant
and condescending attitudes were often addressed as vacuous and simply a cover-up
for their lack of true knowledge. But maybe, if the sisters were fortunate, that
crowd wouldn’t be around today. The last thing they needed was a group of
rabble-rousers to disturb their anticipated visit.
Martha was a woman of creativity and organization. She had
gifts and talents that demonstrated to people around her that she was capable
of managing and supervising a home to be a compliment to any guest. Each detail
that could be examined would be scrupulously clean and visually attractive.
Martha’s requirements were more than sufficient to pass the scrutiny of the
most meticulous person. However, her greatest desire was to please the Rabbi.
He alone had the power to judge her skillful offerings as acceptable or not. A
distraction of spiritual contentions would detract from his ability to see her
work and to commend her for it. Martha needed affirmative words to give her
encouragement to continue using her talents and skills.
Mary was a woman of inner contemplation and understanding of
deep spiritual insights who could encourage other women. She was highly sought
out by her peers for assistance with needs of relational counsel. Mary could
recognize and comprehend the differences and difficulties her friends had
within their households. With loving and inspiring insights she would show them
how to cope and lead a relationship to deeper respect. Not a very demonstrative
person, Mary would allow herself a nurturing hug for a friend or maybe to shed
a few tears, but, mostly she would just smile or show she was the listening ear
someone needed. Her anticipation of the Master’s visit was to soak up all she
could from his presence and learn more of who he was as a person. She knew her
best way to help others came from emulating such a wonderful example of
servanthood. She learned more each time she saw this Teacher of God’s Word.
There was so much yet unearthed that she wanted to plumb. Just sitting and
listening to him talk was all she wanted to do.
The Rabbi was an itinerate teacher who travelled with a
jumble of 12 interns and several wealthy women who were along to attend to the
financial and physical care of the group. Fortunately, along the way there were
people who were able and willing to open their homes to him like Martha. He
would teach seekers from the local village, clean up from the journey on the
road, and enjoy food and fellowship with other believers. It was usually a
pleasant respite.
One of the more difficult situations of his work was dealing
with those who opposed his beliefs, who it turned out, were also a murderous
band. A chaotic collection of hangers-on always followed him: some good people
looking for spiritual direction for their lives, and others disputing
everything he said to elevate themselves. Although the Teacher was adept at
handling the odd-ball questions and attempts to throw him off the track, he
walked a long, dusty road in the desert under a hot sun every day. It was
tiring and stressful for all involved. When a friend invited him into her home
for fellowship, it was more than welcome. He looked forward to being with those
of like-mindedness, to catch up with friends and relax from the daily attacks.
Martha and Mary: so different, so discordant and evidently
so unprepared for this awaited visit. Martha worked hard all day with the many
preparations she thought were important to make the visit successful. Mary
meditated on Scripture and spent time in worship to prepare her heart for
receiving from God. Still dealing with their separate agendas, they left out
the most important part of what would make the day one of importance for them
both: unity.
While Mary had great insights for her friends and their
families about relationships, she was unable to unravel the intricacies of her
relationship with Martha. On the other hand, Martha was so stressed, her
strident shrieks drove away any thoughts of Mary engaging with her. Neither had
a place for the other to help the desired goal of hosting and enjoying the
Rabbi. Although the goal was the same, they could only perceive one method to
accomplish it, their own. And receiving or—Horror of Horrors—offering help to
the other was inconceivable. Stubborn, short-sighted and eventually experiencing
less than the best results is often how siblings work together. Selfishness and
smugness are often traits of siblings that begin in childhood that are carried
into adulthood. Martha and Mary were no different than the average siblings.
The visit of the Rabbi is recorded for all to read in the
New Testament of the Bible in Luke 10:38-42. Martha shows up as a whiner asking
Jesus for some help to have Mary assist her to finish getting the meal ready. I
believe that Jesus understood the whole sibling battle they had been having all
morning. He understood that, had Mary moved, just slightly, from her place of
total contemplation and given Martha a couple of hours of help, the meal would
have been finished on time. He also understood that whining was all Martha
could do now, because she hadn’t cooperated with Mary earlier. Instead Martha
had pushed Mary away with loud complaining about not getting help.
With a heart of understanding that Martha wanted to be
affirmed, Jesus instead elevates Mary’s decision, to sit at His feet, as best—at
that moment—and He could not take that from her. However, Jesus also understood
that Mary had been selfish, without a servant’s heart, otherwise, she would
have given assistance to Martha before it was time to sit down with him.
What did Martha choose to do right then? Did she come and
sit at Jesus’ feet too? Or, did she stubbornly continue with her tasks that
‘had to be done’? What did Mary do? Did she offer to get up and help Martha?
Or, after the teaching from Jesus, did she help finish and serve the meal? Did
either of them have a shifting of ideas to include her sister? Or did they
continue to live their lives different, discordant and unprepared to receive
God’s best for them?
Many women today are affronted and interpret these verses to
identify as a Mary or Martha. I think we should see neither was best—just
different personalities that needed more understanding of each other. We, too,
are like siblings of different thoughts, warring in competition to express
ourselves. All we need to understand is that the best—whether a Martha or a
Mary—is to follow Jesus as He teaches us to be unselfish servants.
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