Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV)

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

An important note, Martha was the one that welcomed Jesus into her house. Martha wanted Jesus there and wanted to do something to bless Him, which was a good thing, but she didn’t understand how it must be for that to happen. So, she was preparing Him a dinner and working her tail off…for Him. But Jesus was teaching in the other room and her sister Mary was “at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word.” This so upset Martha, that she accused Jesus of not caring about her and demanded that He tell Mary to quit listening to Him and to come and help her, after all Martha was doing something and Mary was doing nothing, being lazy, or so Martha thought. What Martha didn’t realize was that if she wanted to do something for Jesus, she first needed to have Jesus do something inside of her. He said, “one thing is needed,” a must, one thing, without which you can do nothing for God (see John 15:5).

Hebrew 11:6 says, “But, without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Why does the Scripture even say this? Because many people try to please God without faith. So then where do we get faith so that we can please God?  Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Everything Jesus spoke was the “word of God” because He is God. Hebrews 12:2 says “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” We need to look to Jesus. The pen is in His hand. He has to write something upon our hearts before we can do something for Him, before we can be pleasing to Him. This is a good thing. He doesn’t just save us and send us out unprepared to do battle for Him, and don’t be deceived, anything you actually do “for the Lord” will be a battle. Mary was just sitting at His feet trying to receive from Him and she was attacked by her sister…battle. God also uses His word to set us free (John 8:32), to convict us of sin (Titus 1:9), to heal us (Psalm 107:20), to give us direction (Psalm 119:105) and so that we can minister words of life to others (Proverbs 22:20-21 & 1 Timothy 4:16).

I’ve heard Christians say, “well, God chose for me to be a Martha.” No He didn’t, you did. Jesus said that Mary had “chosen that good part”. It was Mary’s choice, not Jesus’. He gives us all a choice and those who choose intimacy with Him will be the ones that bear fruit that glorifies God and ministers grace to others (John 15:1-8). Martha was busy doing for the Lord and was, according to Jesus, “distracted.” That’s sad, wanting to do for the Lord, but drawn away from what really mattered which is receiving from the Lord so that you might do for the Lord. Do a study on Mary and Martha. You’ll find Mary at Jesus’ feet when her brother Lazarus dies, but you’ll find Martha standing and Jesus trying to get through to her with His word but Martha not paying attention and eventually trying to stop Jesus from raising her brother, remember “by now he stinketh”? (John 11:20-44). You’ll find Mary at Jesus feet just prior to His being crucified anointing Him with precious oil and wiping His feet with her hair (John 12:1-8). She gets attacked for this too, by Judas, but Jesus defends her again and says “let her alone, she has done a good work for Me” (Mark 14:6). But you’ll find Martha still in the kitchen (John 12:2).

Mary worshiped Jesus and was “at His feet” regularly. She chose the one thing that was needed and eventually, in Jesus’ own words, did a good work for Him. Martha was busy, distracted, bitter towards others doing the right thing, and found herself working against what God was doing, though ignorantly. Choose the one thing that’s needed. Sit at Jesus’ feet, worship Him, get His word inside you, be intimate with Him, and you’ll bear fruit, much fruit. God will be glorified in your life and people around you will have grace imparted to them from the fruit God produces through you.