Pick the Better Thing, and it Won’t be Taken: RRE20
Religion Ruins Everything Daily 9.30.16
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 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.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38–42
Martha is working hard at doing a good thing: Hospitality. When Jesus corrects Martha, He doesn’t even tell her that what she is doing is bad. “You are anxious and troubled about many things.” He says.
Every day we are bombarded with things that are good and that no one would fault us for tending to. I’m sure nobody at that meal was shocked at Martha bringing them food or cleaning up where they sat. This conversation that Jesus has with her might not have even come up if she hadn’t complained to Him.
Mary has chosen something even better: sitting and listening to Jesus. Of all the things that were going on there, Mary had picked the best. Once shown the conflict, Jesus not only said Mary made the right choice, but He wasn’t about to stop her either.
There are all kinds of ways to turn out attention every day from the necessary work that we do to the words of Jesus. If we look for ways, we can fill our day with scripture, prayer, worship, encouraging other people, and more. Finding a way to do it is as simple as sitting down at Jesus’ feet, and the long term effects of avoiding it are worse than feeding 30 people in your house!
Take some time to sit at the Lord’s feet today. You won’t regret it, and it won’t be taken from you.