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Mary’s choice is really good news for you, and here’s why.

The story of Mary and Martha has always been resonant to me because I always identified with Martha. If you haven’t read it, the whole thing is in the gospel of Luke chapter 10.

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.”

I love that this gripe session involving two sisters is in the Bible. It’s real, isn’t it? We’ve all been there. That God cares about these kind of interactions is so kind.

So, Jesus and his crew showed up, and Martha and Mary were excited to have them over for dinner. It was a big deal. Martha wanted it to be a really outstanding feed, plus there were probably a lot of Jesus’ followers there. Then Mary gets distracted and goes and sits in the living room and just listens to Jesus with her jaw dropping open.

I’m with Martha. This is incredibly irritating and insensitive. Talk about ingratitude! How can Mary leave Martha to do the work, all alone? If there’s one thing I hate, it’s people taking me for granted! So I’ve never understood why Jesus takes Mary’s side.

Ah, but that’s the thing I recently learned. When you look at the whole context of the passage and what we know about Jesus from the whole story we have, he’s not actually taking sides. He knows better than to get in the middle of two sisters who clearly have a history of irritating each other. And, when he talks to Martha, and note he doesn’t actually talk directly to Mary, he is not upset with her and he’s not judging her. His tone is kind; hear the gentleness in “Martha, Martha.” Learning this was extremely reassuring to me. Jesus gets it. But he also gets how much we need to be with him and sit with him and just be with him. He truly does not mind a bit that dinner is delayed an hour or two. The disciples can munch from the charcuterie board.

Sitting with Jesus, knowing he’s beside you and beyond that living within you, is what you really, truly need. You don’t need to do more Good Deeds to prove your love for him. I used to think that, but that’s a prison because it’s never enough. You don’t know that you’ve reached the point where you’ve really shown him. You may for a while, but enough time goes by, and you’re right back in the trap again, worried. Start with the heart of things. Start with the heart of Jesus for you.

Sitting with Jesus, knowing he loves you, and wants to be with you and talk with you and shower his love on you, above all else that he wants, is what you need.

I’ve just begun to learn to be with Jesus. I’ve just begun to learn to talk with him, not just to him, and to listen for his gentle, wise or funny reply. I’ve just begun to commune with him and experience his love for me.

I’ve just begun, but it’s already so, so good.

It’s not?

Are you sure?

The way you weave in and out of traffic, I wonder.

You changed lanes, pulling ahead of me through a closing, narrow gap between me and the semi-trailer just ahead to my left.  I’m not sure what your hurry is.

It seems like your rule when wanting to pass someone is that you should never have to touch the brake.  Keeping your cruise control engaged at all times is essential to the safety of your convenience.  You approach me from behind when I’m in the left lane, doing my best to pass the semi-trailer on my right in an expedient fashion, but unwilling to drive 85 miles per hour in these weather conditions.  Then you stay two molecules from my rear bumper.

Have you never been rear ended?

And then once you pass me you pull in immediately, so that I have no safe following distance.

Or, if I have left following distance in heavy traffic, you assume my following distance is your opening.  When you slip in there, thus allowing me .25 seconds for my vehicle to come to a full stop at highway speeds should you need to stop, you defy the laws of physics.

I promise, when I run into you, your vehicle will not reform in 3 seconds and continue happily down the track while Yoshi and Mario pass by.