Are you a Martha or a Mary, or both, in your daily life and Christian walk?
Every time I hear a sermon about the episode in the Gospel of Luke in which Mary is depicted as being at Jesus' feet listening intently to his words, and Martha is distracted with necessary preparations, the fussy and upset Martha seems to be a villain. Jesus even chastises her and tells her Mary "has chosen what is better." (Luke 38-42)
Choosing What Is Better
No doubt, being at the Lord's feet in presence, prayer, and spending time in the Word and worship is choosing "what is better." And we all, myself included, often find ourselves being too much of a Martha and not enough of a Mary, as we go about our days doing "necessary" things, or at least things we think are necessary.
Let's face it. As long as you and I are stuck in our earthly skins, camping here in our earthly tents, we are in the world, a place that requires us to be be Marthas, taking care of the "necessary" things.
Maybe Being Both Is Okay
The challenge is maintaining a balance, being in the world, not of the world, focusing on who we are as followers of Jesus, who we serve, and why we serve. We all need to become more like Mary than Martha, simply being who we are alongside the Lord, because all we do in life should be based on this core relationship with the Lord.
My conclusion? It's okay to be a Mary and a Martha. We actually have no choice. The choice we do have is how much time, energy, and commitment we spend at the Lord's feet, choosing what is better as we listen to the Lord's words and serve him, even as we do the "necessary" things.
Listen to God's Words
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23)
Also read: Proverbs 23:4, 2 Timothy 1:5, James 2:18