again. Luke is the only gospel to record this story. We don't get another perspective based on the storyteller. These five verses are all we have. Additionally, we don't get the benefit of actually hearing the speaker's tone of voice. We don't know if Martha was complaining, or poking fun. Martha says, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Try to say that using a playful voice. Sounds completely different than when you say it with a harsh complaining tone, doesn't it? Maybe there was an on-going joke about Mary always showing up late when any work was to be done. Maybe Martha was giving Jesus a way of getting rid of the pesky Mary so she wouldn't hover about him like some love-sick youth! Or maybe Martha was just tired, and wished to be the one at Jesus' feet. To be perfectly honest, we just don't know. All we have is five short written verses.
That is not what I initially thought about when I read this today. Today, I wondered why Jesus didn't ask Martha to come sit next to Mary. I picture the house full of people. Martha and possibly others were scurrying around; their part of hospitality revolved around doing rather than being. Picking up. Putting away. Cleaning. Preparing. I also picture some people sitting in the same room with Jesus, ears and eyes on him, listening to each word. Their part of hospitality was making the guest feel important, by being present in mind and body. When Martha entered the room, no doubt with more food or drink, or to clear away party clutter, she wanted to make sure that Jesus knew she was serving him.....by her activity, by her busyness. Perhaps by contrast she was also pointing out to Jesus that Mary was not serving him. After all, she wasn't DOING anything.
But Jesus, knowing everything like He does, recognized that Mary was serving Him in a different way. Mary was serving by staying with Jesus (and the other guests), being present to answer questions, provide a listening ear, etc. I wonder if Jesus' response to Martha was an acknowledgment that both types of service were acceptable. The service of doing and the service of being. Had Jesus invited Martha to stop her serving and her hospitality, she might have felt that Jesus put Mary's type of hospitality/service ahead of her service. Had He suggested that Mary help Martha He might have suggested that DOING was more important than BEING. The way He responded, we can all be assured that our service, whether it be doing or being, is acceptable.
This is what it is like at my house. My husband is Martha. He does and does and does. When we have people over, or maybe I should say, while people are over, he clears up the dishes, puts things away including the leftovers, starts the dishwasher, etc. He serves our guests by ridding them of the clutter. I, on the other hand, am Mary. It is likely that my plate will be on the table in the way until everyone leaves (unless my husband takes it - as is usual). But I am present. I am with the guests, to serve them, to chat with them, to show that I think they are important.
Now, don't think that this hasn't caused some "discussion" over the years. I used to get just as annoyed at my husband for cleaning up while we still had guests as he got with me for not helping him clean up. A re-read of this passage tells me that we are both right and both wrong. We are both right to serve our guests (and to serve God) in the way we each do. We were both wrong to expect the other to do it our way. God gives each of us the type of servant heart He wants us to have. Jesus then gave us permission to use what we were given.
God, thank You for making us each individually with our own gifts and servant's hearts. Thank You that Jesus illustrated to us that our service is acceptable however it is presented, by doing or being. Amen.
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