Choosing Time With Jesus: A Tale of Two Sisters

“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 10:41-42.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I’ve already started planning my tablescape. The dishes, the centerpiece, napkins. All the details that make a holiday table special.

If you’ve ever been to my home for a holiday gathering, you know I go a bit overboard with the planning and preparation. I enjoy it! But, too often, I work so hard getting everything just right, by the time we sit around the table, I’m exhausted. I know. Just call me Martha.

In Luke 10:38-42, Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and began preparing for her guests. Hospitality mattered. She was doing what a good hostess was expected to do in her culture.

Meanwhile, her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teach.

Martha became frustrated. I understand. There she was, doing everything to make their guest feel welcomed, while Mary sat listening to Him teach. I can almost hear her mumbling, “Mary, do you not see what needs to be done?”

Finally, Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help. But His answer was not what she expected.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled…” Luke 10:41.

Jesus called Martha by name twice. And spoke of how worried and troubled she had become over so many things.

Poor Martha! I sometimes think we're a bit hard on her. She welcomed Jesus, tried to care for her guests, and found herself alone doing the work. At times, I've been worn out preparing for company, and unlike Martha, I didn’t have Jesus sitting at my table!

But here's the thing. Martha's preparations mattered. Welcoming guests, preparing a meal, and caring for others are good things. Jesus wasn't telling her that her work had no value. The problem wasn't Martha's serving Jesus. It was that her service distracted her from Jesus.

The part of this story that touches my heart most is Jesus’ response.

He saw Martha's worry and frustration. He didn’t give her the answer she wanted, but neither did He turn her away. He lovingly pointed her toward what Mary had discovered.

And Mary’s choice was more remarkable than we might realize. Sitting at a teacher’s feet was the position of a student. In that culture, women weren’t generally expected to take that place in religious instruction. Yet, Jesus affirmed Mary’s desire to learn from Him.

I believe His words to Martha also invited her to recognize what was being offered. He told her that what Mary had chosen would not be taken away from her.

Martha's preparations would eventually be finished. The meal would be eaten, and the day would come to an end. But what Mary was receiving as she listened to Jesus was something lasting. His words would remain with her long after that visit was over. That's what He wanted for Martha.

Isn't that a comforting thought? The time we spend with Jesus isn't simply time taken away from everything else we need to do. It's time invested in something that lasts.

Two sisters, each responding to Jesus differently. Perhaps we've spent so much time deciding which sister we’re most like, we've missed what this moment tells us about Him.

His grace wasn't reserved for Mary, who had made the better choice. He showed grace and tenderness to struggling Martha, too.

That comforts me because there are times I struggle. I get caught up in details, frustrated when plans go sideways, or make things more complicated than they need to be.

Perhaps you can relate.

Martha didn't hide her frustration from Jesus. She brought it straight to Him. Those hands on her hips, chin up in the air.  And although Jesus corrected her, He did so with care. We can bring Him our worries, concerns, without pretending we have everything under control.

And then we listen. When we open His Word and give Him our attention, the things that seemed so urgent begin to look different.

This Thanksgiving, preparations will include our family favorites, like German Chocolate cake, pecan pie, and sweet potato pie. I’ll use every ounce of creativity designing the tablescape and probably fold the napkins to look like turkeys! But hope I’m not so worn out from all the preparations that I miss the joy of the people around my table.

I'll think about Martha, not merely as the distracted sister, but as a woman who welcomed Jesus and heard His gentle correction. And I'll remember Mary, who sat at His feet to learn.

Most of all, I want to remember Jesus: His patience, His tenderness, and His embrace of two sisters.

Time with Him is always time well spent.

Pause & Reflect

• Have you ever put so much effort into making an occasion special that you were too tired to enjoy it?
• What do you notice about the way Jesus responds to each sister?
• When you're worried or frustrated, how might His response to Martha change the way you come to Him?

Where Do We Go From Here?

Let’s read Luke 10:38–42 and rather than deciding whether we're more like Mary than we are Martha, pay attention to Jesus. Notice how He responds to Martha's concerns and welcomes Mary's desire to learn. And let's see what we can set aside today, not because it doesn't matter, but because time with Him matters most.

Let's Pray Together

Heavenly Father, thank You for the tenderness You show us when we're worried or frustrated. You know how easily we get caught up in details. Help us bring our concerns to You and make room to listen. Give us hearts that treasure time with You and in Your Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Friends, thank you for sharing your time with me today. Keep this thought in mind as you go your way. Let it be a reminder that time spent with Jesus is time well spent.

Jesus didn't turn away the sister who was struggling. He lovingly pointed her toward what mattered most.

What did you discover about God's heart today?

Be blessed and always remember...you are loved beyond measure.