Hey, what's the deal?...

We read in Luke 10:38-41 the story about Mary and Martha. Martha opened her home to Jesus and his disciples. She was distracted and evidently all upset and fussing with preparations and serving her guests. At the same time, her sister Mary was not helping her. Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to what he said.  Martha couldn't handle having to do everything while her sister was apparently totally engrossed with Jesus. Martha even asked Jesus 'why don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'  Paraphrasing Martha's complaints, I could imagine her saying "Hey, what's the deal?..." Jesus responded 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her'.

I think today, in this hurried, very busy, get it done world we live in, there are many of us who would side with Martha and see Mary as an insensitive 'let her do it' type of sister, who is really taking advantage and seemingly very self-centered.

Jesus responded to Martha...'Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'

WOW! John MacArthur tells us in his commentary that 'Jesus was not speaking of the number of dishes to be served. The one thing necessary was exemplified by Mary (i.e. an attitude of worship and meditation), listening with an open mind and heart to Jesus' words.'

This story is a 'wake-up call' for me and probably many others, because we are so conditioned in pre-planning and time-management of our schedules, etc. Jesus' words serve to remind us to 'be still and know that I am God'...in today's vernacular...'smell the roses'. 

Its sometimes easy to forget 'who Jesus was' and 'what his mission was' here on Earth.

While it almost seems like Mary turned things upside-down by ignoring the hustle and the bustle of the day and instead choosing to listen with an open mind and heart to every word Jesus spoke. In 2013, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could change places with her? As believers, someday we will!