What Did Martha Miss That Mary Found?

I’m still thinking about the words God whispered into the quietness of my soul last week.

“Live in the moment, not in the production.”

I had just finished reading the well-known passage in Luke about the two sisters who were hosting Jesus and the disciples as they traveled to Jerusalem. Mary was the sister at Jesus’ feet, and Martha, the one stewing in the kitchen.

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 ESV

Subscribe Now for Story Extras

What This Passage Is Not Teaching

It’s important to note that this passage isn’t teaching us that Martha should have been sitting with Mary at Jesus’ feet instead of preparing the meal. It’s not about spending time with God vs. serving God. After all, someone had to feed the large group in their home.

This story is about distraction: “But Martha was distracted with much serving” (10:40, italics mine). After welcoming them into their home, Martha was so distracted by what she was doing that she told Jesus she was being treated unfairly. She even demanded that He make her sister do her share of the work. (Yes, she actually told Jesus what to do.)

Rather than sympathizing with Martha, Jesus tenderly told her that just one thing is necessary, that just one thing is worth being concerned about, and that Mary had found it.

What had Mary discovered? What was it that Martha was distracted from?

What Is the One Necessary Thing?

Living with Jesus as the center of your life.

Because Martha’s center was divided between Jesus and the production, Mary became the shirker, the disciples became extra mouths to feed, and Jesus became a potential arbiter to command.

Had Jesus been Martha’s “one thing,” her heart would have been freed from grievance. She could have chopped, stirred, kneaded, and served without resentment. Had she not been so focused on the production, Martha would have found joy in Jesus’ presence, just like Mary, no matter what she was doing, no matter what Mary was doing.

Life is full of production, especially at this time of year. In addition to our normal schedule of things to do, we prepare holiday meals, decorate our homes, shop for just-the-right gifts, and host get-togethers. It’s especially easy to get distracted by all the details.

Putting Production in Its Place

Like Martha, we can lose our joy when the production becomes the point. Even worse, it’s possible to create a way of life that is always about the production, so that living becomes all about hurry, fear, perfectionism, planning, timelines, busyness, and goals. The joy of God’s presence slips to the margins.

We each have just so many moments in this life, and I don’t want to use up mine by living in the production, no matter the perceived importance of what I am doing or creating. I want to live in the moment of God’s presence. I don’t want my thoughts distracted by what is not worthy of my concern.

Thank you, God, for Your reminder of how to live. Not with the worries of the world, not with the business of what we produce, but with You always at the forefront of our minds.

Martha didn’t have to leave the kitchen to live in the moment of God’s presence, and we don’t have to put away our work, either. We just need to keep production in its place so that Jesus remains the center of our lives.