Martha, Martha

             As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him 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 worried and upset about 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.”  (Luke 10: 38-42)

 

Today’s been a long hard day, and it’s past when I should be working on my book, and I am just starting my blog post for tomorrow.  In other words, I can really relate to Martha. Only, I’m not complaining about Mary not doing her part. I’m complaining that I can’t accomplish mine and even God isn’t helping. (That’s not true, but that’s what I’m telling myself.) I can also relate to the disciples who woke Jesus up to ask Him whether or not He cared that they were going to drown.

            Some people treat this passage as an excuse to walk away from responsibilities, or justification to kick back and be lazy. I’ll grant that there are times when the work needs to be set aside because something more important is going on, but let’s look at this passage according to what is actually there.

1.      Jesus went to visit Lazarus, Martha, and Mary

2.      Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha tried to be a good hostess.

3.      Martha complained to Jesus about Mary and effectively asked Him to rebuke her.

4.      Jesus told Martha that she was out of line, and that Mary was doing the right thing in the circumstances.

Did you notice what never appears in the passage? Martha never says anything to Mary. We might assume that Martha has done so, and Mary ignored her, but there is no evidence that she did. And look more closely at what Martha does. It may have been a comparatively private party, but she walks into a room that had quite a few people in it and first attacks Jesus, then Mary.

“Don’t you care…my sister has left me to do the work…”

It brings to mind another passage, in which a woman who was caught in the act of adultery was dragged before Jesus.  Here was another “Mary” who wasn’t doing what she was supposed to be, and a whole committee of “Marthas” stormed up to try to force Jesus to behave as they demanded. Effectively, they said, “Don’t you care that she is breaking the Law? Condemn her as you should! Oh and ignore the fact that the Law says that both the woman and the man are to be stoned. We can break the law, but you and she must be condemned.”

            We’ve been on one end or the other of this little drama.

“If you love me, you will…”

“If you aren’t ashamed of Jesus, you will post or share or like…”

“If you care about (name that issue) you will…”

Jesus repeatedly doesn’t play that game.