He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house…she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet. -Luke 10:38-39 NKJV
We can learn an important lesson about priorities from Mary and Martha because they reflect the opposing natures we deal with as Christians. On one hand, we have Martha who was bustling about in an effort to accommodate and make everyone happy (Luke 10:40). But in the process, she had grown frustrated, and Jesus confronts her about it:
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” (Luke 10:41 NKJV)
Sound familiar? The truth is that part of our human nature is inclined to behave the same way, especially in the midst of the Christmas mayhem. With gift-giving day just 48 hours away, we can find ourselves under an immense amount of pressure to keep pace with the world and find that one last perfect gift.
But on the other hand, we see Mary. Rather than rushing into the frenzy that Martha had succumbed to, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. And in the process, she wound up being infinitely more productive:
“But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42 NKJV)
It’s ironic that for all of her effort, Martha was left with less than her sitting sister. That’s because there is nothing more productive than spending time at the feet of Jesus. This is what Christians are designed to do, and our new nature requires it. Otherwise, we will lack the peace and joy that sustains us in this life.
We need to make a point of spending time with Jesus each day. We can accomplish more at His feet than running around on our own.
Answai T. White, B.S., M.Div.
