I was reading in John 11 today, and feel compelled to clear Martha's sullied reputation in the Christian Living world.
Martha, if you recall, had a sister, Mary. Martha was rushing about getting things ready for company, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him. When Martha complained (and I always secretly sympathized with her), Jesus said that Martha was too distracted by worldly cares and that Mary had chosen the better way. So Bible studies, sermons, and articles in homeschooling magazines exhort us to be like Mary.
But in John 11, Martha proves her mettle. Her brother Lazarus has died, and Jesus inexplicably didn't show up in time to heal him. He gets there four days late. Who is it who runs out to greet Him? Martha. Who is so disappointed that she doesn't even acknowledge He has come? Mary. It's Martha who goes to Mary and says, "He wants to see you." Only then does Mary run out to speak with Him, and that's only to blame Him for Lazarus' death.
It was Mary who knew how to listen to His words. But it was Martha who knew how to cling to her faith when life turned bitter. While we're busy being Marys in a Martha world (as the title of a popular book has it), don't neglect to be a Martha in Mary circumstances. -- SJ
Friday, October 15, 2004
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8 comments:
At first when I read your title I thought it would be about Martha Stewart.
I SO agree with your remarks! I have always felt that Martha gets a bad rap in the Christian community. Off the top of my head, I don't recall that Jesus ever reproves or criticises her actions - just sympathises with her ('You are cumbered with much serving'), and tells her that, actually, Mary has chosen the better part. So it's good to sit at the feet of Jesus - but the work still needs to get done. If you picture Mary's actions as representing faith, and Martha's as representing works, you get a good idea of the neef ro balance, because faith without works is dead.
~Rose
Make that need FOR balance. =)
~R
I too thought you were drawing an analogy between Martha Stewart and Martha in the Bible. I was thinking, "Wow... never thought about that, but she is busy cooking and cleaning and decorating... OH wait, that's not where Sara's going with this post. Heh... :)
Good thoughts. I suspect Mary wins out because the people who are more Mary-ish are those more likely to be writing books. And it's always easy to confuse our own personality traits with virtues.
I'm so culturally oblivious that I didn't even think of Martha Stewart when I posted. Most of what I know about her plight, I get from Rachelle and Amy.
Good point, QoC. Alternatively, the books are written by the Marthas who have learned the value of resting at Christ's feet. Therefore, they write books to guide everyone else. After all, what converted me must convert you. -- SJ
I guess in that case we can assume that the Marys who have learned the value of Martha-ism are busy running the church potlucks and have no time for writing books anymore.
Ha! Score one, Queen. -- SJ
I always felt bad for Martha, too! It seemed so unfair. I would even think to myself that Jesus might have felt differently about it if Martha HAD been sitting at His feet, and so there was no dinner.
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