MARY AND MARTHA

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Table of Contents

The Event

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also1 sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving2, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one3 thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

Notes

To clarify, minister out of spending time with God. See also

  • If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all. 1 Corinthians 13:3 AMP
  • Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:10 NIV
In summary, this appears to be a story about “serving God versus spending time with Him” and not a story comparing “work versus spending time with God.”

Footnotes

  1. Implies that besides serving, she also sat at Jesus's feet listening.
  2. Sometimes one can be so preoccupied with serving (ministry) that one gets distracted from spending time with God.
  3. Make spending time with God top priority. i.e. Through Prayer, Worship & the Word.