Chill - Martha

Luke 10:38-42

Martha welcomed Jesus and his entourage into her home for dinner with her siblings Lazarus and Mary. Preparations needed to be made, and Martha took on those responsibilities. This distracted her from spending time with Jesus. We don’t know what Lazarus was doing, but Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to his words instead of helping.

Out of frustration, Martha complained, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me” (Luke 10:40).

Jesus gave her a friendly smackdown. “My dear Martha,” he said, “you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). In other words, “Chill, friend. Let the housework wait. Join in the most important conversation you can ever have—one with me.”

It’s easy to get a negative impression of Martha from this story. She seems like the “bad” sister—petty, jealous, and not aware of what is important. But try to look at it differently. Elsewhere the Bible tells us just how well Martha knew Jesus. When Lazarus got sick, both sisters sent for Jesus, trusting in his healing power. Both were upset when Jesus showed up four days after Lazarus died.

But it was Martha to whom Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). And it was Martha who replied, “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God” (verse 27), one of the strongest statements of faith we find in the gospels. Does that sound like someone who doesn’t know what’s important in life?

Though Martha was distracted that evening when Jesus came to dinner, there obviously were times when she paid deep, close attention to him. She knew who he was, she must have understood his teaching, but—just like the rest of us—she sometimes found the details of life pulling her focus away from him.

It’s comforting to read the simple statement in the gospel: “Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus” (John 11:5). He’ll give us friendly reminders to spend a little more time with him and a little less time being busy, but he understands.

A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served.

John 12:2