The Well-Known Story of Mary & Martha
When I think about the story of Mary and Martha (in Luke Chapter 10), I think about my own struggles to be in the moment in the midst of all of my homeschooling tasks. As human beings, it seems we are always looking for new ways to streamline processes and new ways to categorize ourselves and others. There are countless times I’ve heard someone refer to themselves as being either “a Mary” or “a Martha” over the years. I used to be one who always thought of myself as being a Mary – the one who loved to sit at the feet of Jesus. As time has gone one, I’ve realized that’s simply not true.
I love soaking in the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit, but what if I were to propose the idea to you that Mary and Martha are not necessarily two certain types of personalities, but that there is a little bit of Mary and Martha in each of us? What if it is not so much about personality types, but moreso about knowing when it is time to do which things? What if it is more about the condition of our hearts and less about which one we are more like?
See, the problem with categorizing ourselves as one or the other is that it creates the possibility that we may feel rejected if we have a tendency to be one way or the other. What if it isn’t about our level of productivity, but instead our level of worry? Martha loved Jesus and wanted to make sure He was cared for in every way possible. I can imagine she wanted everything to be in order for this wonderful visit from her dear Friend and Lord. Martha was doing a good thing – she was using her God-given talents to serve and to love others through her hospitality. Her cause and her sacrifice were noble and just… but Jesus sees into our hearts.
How to Cast Your Cares on Jesus
Martha’s gift of hospitality was good and needed. I am certain that Martha was an excellent homemaker, and that hosting Jesus and His disciples was no thoughtless or easy feat. But in verses 41-42, Jesus calls Martha out for being anxious about many things and praises Mary for her choice to sit at His feet. Jesus was concerned with her heart. What if the very peace that Martha needed would be found, not by doing the things she was worried about, but, instead, by casting her own cares and anxieties back onto Jesus.
When we spend time with Jesus, a beautiful exchange takes place. The worries and cares of this world can be cast upon Jesus and our faith that the Lord will care for these things increases.
When we worship Him, we are reminded of the goodness of God and His great and mighty power to save us from our troubles. We have the promise that He will give us a garment of praise in exchange for our heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).
When we read and listen to the Word of God, our faith that He is ABLE to care for these things increases (Romans 10:17) and our minds are cleansed and renewed (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 4:23).
When we pray, we are given the opportunity to bring our anxieties to the Lord and place them at His feet in prayer, releasing our worry and anxiety back onto Jesus, and believing that He is able and willing to do all good things on our behalf (Romans 8:28).
What’s the Takeaway?
Taking care of a home, a husband, and your children is no easy feat. It takes careful planning and consideration to get everything done. But when we reflect on our day, our relationships with our children and others are the truly eternal matters and it takes serious consideration to not allow ourselves to get caught up in all the things that need to be done and to learn to focus on those Jesus has entrusted to us.
There is a time to push hard and work through the obstacles that come our way, and there is a time to stop pushing and trust the Lord to lead us and make up the difference. When our character begins to stop reflecting the character of Christ (joy, peace, love, goodness, gentleness, patience, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, Galatians 5:22-23), then it may be time to walk away for a moment, take our anxieties to Jesus, and ask Him to help us identify the root issue we are having in our own heart.
Martha’s gift of hospitality was beautiful and needed. She was likely a good homemaker that cared for her household well and used her God-given talents to do her part to serve God in a practical way by serving in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus did not rebuke her or her talents, but simply asked Martha to reconsider her own heart and priorities when she brought her complaints to Him. He simply redirected her back to the examination of her own heart.
When we are confronted with an issue by our Lord, often it is not a matter of right or wrong, but rather a matter of what is in our heart. It’s easy to buy the lie that doing more will help our anxieties. The truth is that “doing” will only be a temporary, external fix to an eternal and internal condition of our heart. Are we trusting Jesus with our husband, our children, and our homeschooling journey?
Doing more is not the answer to relieving our anxieties… taking our anxieties to Jesus is.