Good Questions - Day 2

Day Two 

Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? 

Read: Luke 10.38-42

There are a couple of things to consider as we read this text. Notice that Martha invites Jesus into her home. That makes Martha a homeowner. Martha’s role as host would include ensuring all the details are in place for this meal with Jesus. Mary sits at the Lord’s feet, a position of discipleship that men historically assumed. Both women honor Jesus. Jesus honors both women.

It’s also important to note this won’t be the last time Jesus comes to Martha’s home. Jesus will come again to grieve with Martha and Mary when His friend and their brother Lazarus, dies.

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I like Martha. She’s doing her best to show hospitality to Jesus. However, in light of Mary being praised for “choosing what was better,” Martha’s gifts and genuine desire can be overlooked.

What most attracts me to Martha is her strength and trust in Jesus. She doesn’t hold back what she’s feeling. She’s strong enough to voice her heart, hurt, and concern, knowing Jesus will hear her.

Mary’s gifts are different. Mary doesn’t have to speak her heart; her heart is moved by listening.

Adele, AGB, and I have read “Art + Faith” by Makoto Fujimura. He writes about the gift of listening. He quotes George Eliot’s “Middlemarch”

If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heartbeat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence.”

Martha likely doesn’t have a profound sense of the “other side of silence.” She does know the feeling of “all ordinary human life” like setting the table, doing the dishes, lighting the candles, and washing feet.

Mary knows the gift of silence. While being a primary character of the story, Mary doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t have to. There’s nothing for Mary to defend, nothing to prove, nothing to say. She’s exactly who and where she’s created to be. 

Mary’s intuitive response requires her sister, Martha, to respond pragmatically to host Jesus. In other words, Mary cannot be herself without Martha. 

Later, when their brother Lazarus dies, Martha will first recognize and acknowledge Jesus as “the resurrection and the life,” and Mary will, again in silence, wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and perfume.

Adele writes, “I can so resonate with Martha here — I don’t like the silence and have trouble sitting still. It’s easier for me to move and focus on the things that need to get done, especially in the name of Jesus. 

And sometimes, in the movement, I can easily begin to believe my worth is dependent on how many things I’m doing — that I am only valuable if I’m able to maintain lots of things on my plate at one time.” 

Martha is described here as “worried and upset about many things.”

In her busyness, Martha begins to believe that Jesus has forgotten about her. She says. “Do you not care?” “I know you care about my sister, but do you care about me?” Do you even see what I’m doing for you? Do you even care that I’m alone? 

“Do you not care?” 

When was the last time you asked that question?

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The message of the story is less about what Martha and Mary are doing than about the posture of their hearts. Mary’s posture has been described as an “unhurried peace.” In her desire to be hospitable, Martha has turned her face away from the One who gives rest. Because of that, she is frustrated and jealous of her sister. That kind of comparison is deadly and only leads to spirals of shame and pride. Jesus knows this. He knows her heart, and her question is a signal of a deeper longing for her worth. 

Of course, Jesus cares—we all know He cares—but Martha is asking something much more personal. She just wants to know she’s not been forgotten or overlooked, that she matters and has worth in His eyes. Does He care about me?

Even in her busyness, Jesus hasn’t left her. Jesus isn’t as much rebuking Martha here as He invites her into something deeper. He’s inviting her to turn her face back towards Him. She will find her worth in the reality of Himself — His presence and loving-kindness. 

Questions to Consider:

• How do you sense Jesus caring for you today?

• What would your sister, brother, or best friend say causes you to worry and be upset? 

• What would it look like for you to have an “unhurried peace”? 

• What rhythms do you have to help you listen to God and others? Who listens to you? 

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