My sister Kathy and I came to the conclusion a long time ago that we were the true ‘Mary and Martha’ sister-types.
She is by FAR Mary in every way. She has the heart for ministering to others in any situation, and is loving, kind, insightful, and very giving. She gets strength and energy from sitting at the feet of Jesus. She is tender, yet strong in standing for the principles of God’s word.
I am the Energizer Bunny Martha – always busy with something. I am in my element when I am cleaning, working, and being behind the scenes. I am not comfortable interacting with groups of people, most especially when I don’t know them well.
We all know that story; Martha was frustrated that Mary sat talking to Jesus when she was doing all the work. When Martha spoke her mind, Jesus praised Mary for choosing the better part.
Being Martha, I spend a lot of time thinking about that scenario. The obvious reaction is that we should all be encouraged to be Mary. But I want to present another point of view (not disagreeing with Mary’s choice, of course!).
If Martha spent enough time with Jesus to feel comfortable approaching him with her concerns, then they were very close. This was not a stranger, nor was He someone she felt intimidated by.
I am very uncomfortable in social situations. I do not like mingling and I am not good at meeting new people. I’d rather be behind the scenes, doing busy work and making things happen. And not because I want credit for anything; I love to serve others and I love a good project with the end result of a job well done.
Perhaps Martha felt that way. She knew Mary had chosen well, but was afraid that she, Martha, could never meet the expectations of others the way Mary could. So she was trying to redeem herself by placing undo significance on the menial tasks that she took upon herself.
I’m sure there were a lot of emotions running through Martha’s mind that day, as would be mine. And I’m also sure some of them stemmed from feeling frustrated and maybe inadequate. But I have to trust that God will see the love and devotion of those of us who are Martha. And those of us who are Martha can maybe make more effort to sit at the feet of Jesus.
These are just my humble reflections, just so you know that. And by the way, I could never figure out how anyone could have eaten that day if everyone was sitting!!! Just sayin’……..
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