SISTERS 

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 

Martha in the kitchen:  Oh my.  What do I have in the fridge?  Is there enough bread?  Butter?  Pizza?  What can I give them to eat until I fix a meal?  I will get everything done.  I took on this obligation and will not bring shame on my family by not being the perfect hostess.

I love Jesus and am not sorry I invited him, but quickly putting together a meal is not easy.  And I never know how many will be here.  Besides, those twelve disciples eat so much.  They just walk around following Jesus and then sit while he teaches.  How can they be so hungry?  Surely, they kept some of the fish and bread after feeding the five thousand.  My goodness, that Jesus is something.  Five loaves of bread and two fish!  That is all he had to feed all those people.  Plus, there were leftovers!  Maybe I need to have him see what he can do with this piece of beef and some potatoes.

And where is that sister of mine?

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. 

Martha headed to talk with Jesus:  Jesus will tell Mary to help me.  He would realize I am swamped.  I know how Mary should be acting and sitting at Jesus’ feet is not proper behavior.  That position is reserved for men who want to learn, men who will become teachers, and men who will become disciples.  Mary needs a talking-to!  I need Jesus to instruct Mary to help me.

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!” 

Mary sitting quietly:  If my sister knew the blessing of being near our Lord, she would not be so determined to fix a meal over hearing Jesus speak.  I know we are charged with being hospitable, but a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be enough.  It is better to be filled with God’s word than to be filled by a too large, very expensive meal.  

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

Luke 10:38-42

If there is one Bible story that has been discussed at every women’s Bible study, discussion group, or when Christian women get together, it is the Martha versus Mary story. 

Women pick sides, but why should they pick sides?  Jesus said Mary chose what is better.  He did not say she picked the only way to serve.  What Martha was doing was important BUT could she do both?  Maybe Martha was working too hard.  Making the meal too elaborate when something less time-consuming would be well received.

Are you working, serving, too hard?  Are you a doer?  Are you involved every time the doors are unlocked?  Are you so active you miss out on the quiet time?  On the learning time?  On time at Jesus’ feet?

Mary was a rebel.  A rule breaker.  Probably an embarrassment to Martha.  She crossed way too many lines in the sand.  The customs and the laws demanded that Mary’s place was in the kitchen.  She was a host and therefore should be taking care of every need of the guests.  Instead, she was sitting at Jesus' feet, listening.  She was NOT to be at his feet.  The law said so.

This brings us to the other thing I want you to see.  This might seem like it is for the women, BUT it is for the men too.  Mary did not listen to the customs or the laws.  Three times she sat or knelt at Jesus’ feet.  When Jesus was a guest, when Lazarus died, and when she put oil on Jesus’ feet.  Remember men: the laws said… the customs said….  society said ..  but what did Jesus do when Mary sat at his feet?

NEWS FLASH:

• Jesus did not tell her to move.

• He did not tell her to get back to the kitchen. 

• He did not tell her to stand up when she knelt at his feet, distraught at the death of her brother.  (Not only did he not tell her to stand up, he wept with her.)

• He did not tell her to stop putting oil on his feet and did not tell her to stop wiping his feet with her hair.

I guess Jesus was a rebel too.  He did not obey the customs or the law.  He did not take notice of the complaints.  He allowed Mary, a woman, to kneel at his feet and listen to his teachings.

Where do women belong?  At the feet of Jesus!