Martha and Mary (Wednesday Sharing)

This evening we discussed a great topic in Sunday school servant's fellowship. it's about the two famous sisters; Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. this story is quite popular for our Sunday school kids coz it has a song about this story and the kids love singing the song. I'm not going to teach you its song but wanna share what i and my friends learn from the story in Luke 10: 38-42.

it happened when Jesus and his disciples entered into a certain village namely Bethany. there Martha received Him into her house. Martha had a sister called Mary. when Jesus taught, Mary sat at Jesus feet and listened to His Word while Martha chose to be busy with serving. seeing that Mary was only sitting and listening to Jesus and was not caring about serving, Martha came to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary help her. but Jesus chastened her that she had been careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary had chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.


many people tend to judge that Mary's choice was better than Martha's coz she chose to be by the Lord's presence while Martha was busy serving, dealing with all stuff of the world and did not take her part in God's presence. we were asked to choose who we're going to be if we were there in Bethany, being Mary or Martha. each one gave his/her answer with his reason and it was a nice sharing. all the answers related to our personalities. some said that they would be busy in the kitchen, preparing the meal for Jesus coz they knew Jesus must have been tired for a long travel while the other said that they wouldn't miss Jesus's Word that's why they'd rather choose to take Mary's position. Some of my friends assumed that Martha had taken a wise decision too coz a woman she has to serve (in patrilineal  culture woman's place is in the kitchen preparing meal while man's part is in the living room welcoming the guest). i agree with all their opinion coz nothing's wrong with serving. so why Jesus said that Mary had chosen the best way? the following are my points from this story, summarized from all my friends' thoughts and ideas.

• serving is not wrong. each person holds his/her own responsibility in a ministry. some people have to be on the stage, while the other are working behind the stage supporting the ministry. what may become wrong when our focus on serving has switched. we don't know whom we serve that's why we spend much time on serving while forgetting our time to be with God. many of us will be so exhausted serving till we forget to spend time with God, having our daily devotion, listening to the Word of God. in this case we only focus our serving on our own perspective that's why it's switched. serving God is not about what we think we can do for God but it's all about what God wants us to do. our focus is not on our own self but must be on God Himself. what does He want us to do... i believe God also wants us to spend time with Him and not to be so mindful of serving, working for Him. when we keep serving but forget to seek God's presence we might probably have stolen the glory of God coz our focus is only on ourselves not God Himself. so the formula is the more responsibility you have, the more time you've got to spend with God so that you know what He wants you to do.

• Martha would have also chosen a good decision serving Jesus if she did not complain to Him about Mary. Martha's portion is working behind the stage but she was not satisfied or maybe got envious seeing Mary not working but sitting and listening. the bible says "whatever you do, do it heartily as it is for God and not for man" meaning that no matter you're serving on the stage or behind the stage, you're working it all for God so you don't have to complain or gurgle. everyone has his/her own capacity so don not be jealous with others but mind your own business, do whatever God has trusted you to do so do not see others and compare your work with them. great or small, as long as you do it wholeheartedly for God it will please Him as God seeks your heart.  

that's all i can share today.. hope it may bless you all..

keep serving God, do your portion wholeheartedly.. :)

Immanuel,

Haniva