What is better

Luke 10


38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Marthaopened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I've heard countless of sermons on this passage; I have to admit I had never quite got it til now. 

To be honest, I've even resented Mary on this passage. Why? I think of poor Martha, attending everyone on her own and feeling overwhelmed while her sister happily sat at Jesus feet. "How inconsiderate," I always thought to myself.

You see, we have no further background story. Was Mary always this way? Did she help Martha at other times? Being the oldest of my siblings and analyzing Martha's character, it seems to me she is the oldest of the two. She was probably used to giving her sibling orders to help around the house and, by her reaction, it seems that she was used to Mary obliging. When I'm not used to my siblings helping out with something I don't get upset because I expect that from them. When I expect a certain attitude from them and don't receive it, then I get upset. 

Looking at Mary's character in other passages, this analysis of her being serviceable seems to fit well. But you can see why I would take Martha's side; I identify myself more with her. I didn't feel much sisterly affection when I would be in the kitchen cooking for our guests while my sister happily sat in the living room with them laughing and watching movies or playing games. 

But there is something in this passage that shocks me: Jesus Himself defends Mary!

Can you recall of another time when Jesus defends another person? I can't. 

"Mary has chosen what is better!"

Such truth behing those words when seen closer.

Do we do things that are good but we are not choosing what is better? 

Why had I never gotten this passage before like I do now?

Well, I have my own household now. And to keep it and to serve those in it, I "worry and upset about many things." Never before have I been busier.

So what about Jesus' " but few things are needed—or indeed only one"?

What is this better Mary has chosen? 

Time with the Lord. 

In my teen years, I had all the time in the world and I spent it in the Word, in time alone with God, in time in prayer and meditation, in time in worship and exultation. I had time to write God songs and poems, time to write or tell Him my thoughts and desires, time to sit in His beauty. 

How grateful I am Lord that I had this time and You made me use it wisely!

Nowadays I feel as though time is my enemy and I don't even have time to finish what I must do. 

What I must do.... Ponder on those words. 

What "must" you do?

Clean the house, cook the meals, go to work, fold the laundry, feed the dogs, go to the bank, go to the grocery store, go to the pharmacy, go to church, etc, etc, etc. 

Martha's guest really didn't need a perfect meal or a pristine floor. They were going to receive word from the Word itself, from the fountain of life and water that never runs dry. Mary knew this, needed this, chose this.

There is no greater thing on earth than time with the Lord. If you must leave a pile of unfolded laundry for another day or make an effort to rise earlier to cook the meals to make time ALONE with the Lord, this you must chose!

"It will not be taken away from her..."

God will not take this away from you. He will defend you and publicly praise you if you chose the better. Only you can give it away for things that don't matter and are not neccesary. 

I have taken this from myself! 

Mary understood something: Jesus was all that mattered. Did she have Him on her home everyday? NO! So why would she waste that time running around the house to do chores? 

To me, it seemed as though Martha HAD to attend them (to Martha as well) and because she HAD to, Mary was being inconsiderate by not helping her. How could she have the King of kings on her home and not attend him to the best of her possibilities? Doesn't that seem logical: that if you are having such an important guest you should make better preparations and have more attentions? 

Yes, it would be exactly our reaction, wouldn't it? 

How confused we are with what we HAVE to do and what we NEED to do. 

"You are worried and upset about many things." How many of us would be described by that sentence?

And for what? 

Mary chose what brought her life. 

Do the things we do brings us life? 

Don't get me wrong, the things we do have to be done and it has been given to us to do by His grace and strength, but we must never allow them to take life away from us, never allow us to take time away from the Lord.
The things we do for our houses and our families are good. Lets not get stuck only in good!

Look at the things you do and ask yourself if you are chosing the better?

Time in you car: spending it hearing christian music: good; spending it hearing a sermon: better; spending it memorizing the Word: best! 

Lord, 

Give the grace to chose better, to chose You. 

Teach me what Mary knew that she sat on your fit to hear you without concerns or worries of her worldly duties because they had a second place. Don't let me put these things before what's really important and neccesary. Teach me always.

I love You.