While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.” The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, CEB)
What is the better part?
The movie City Slickers has this brief dialogue:
Curly: You know what the secret of life is?
Mitch: No, what?
Curly: This. [and he holds up his index finger]
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean shit.
Mitch: That’s great, but what’s the one thing?
Curly: That’s what you’ve got to figure out.
Is it better to serve, like Jesus told us to do with the Good Samaritan, the story that comes directly before this one in the gospel of Luke, or is it better to sit and listen?
Jesus told Martha, “you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary.” Only one thing is necessary, the better one. Do not be distracted by many things. “Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.” So is listening better than serving?
Mary is focused on Jesus. Martha is focused on Mary, or the lack of help Mary is giving her. Martha is not focused on Jesus, she is focused on making things perfect and seeing that Mary is not fulfilling the things that Martha thinks needs to be done.
Mary is focused on Jesus.
Who are you focused on?
aSacredRebel 