Mary’s Posture: Only ONE Thing Is Needed
If you’ve been on the Christian corridors for a while, this story is familiar, but let’s revisit it together. I’m talking about Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. Luke 10:38 tells us that Martha opened her home to Jesus, who was traveling with his disciples. Mary chooses a different posture from Martha’s, which triggers our conversation today.
The fact that Martha opened her home to Jesus is important because while we crucify Martha for being distracted, it must have felt like the right and obvious thing to do.
If you invite guests in, you serve them. She does the same thing at a later dinner. In John 12, Lazarus is present with his sisters when they host Jesus. Lazarus reclines at the table, Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume, but Martha serves.
Martha and Mary take the same posture at two separate dinners. Martha is distracted by the preparations and being hospitable to her guests. She wants to serve them right, and she should.
But, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to what He taught (Luke 10:39). Could it be that she paid much attention to Jesus until she realised His body needed preparation for burial in John 12? That His feet were dusty?
Remember, she sat at His feet while men reclined at the table with Him. She wasn’t distracted by the low place. As long as I can hear His voice, my position at the table, my recognition or lack of it, does not matter.
It seems rational for a woman in her day to join her sister in the kitchen and serve. Let’s not stretch that further, but focus on the truth. Jesus is the truth. In response to Martha’s protest that Mary wasn’t helping out, He says, “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 he” (Luke 10:41-42).
He called her twice! The response speaks volumes. What we may think is a priority, serving Jesus, is not the good part. It is not, and should not be our priority. Listening to His voice, His word should be our priority.
Undivided attention to His word is the only needful thing, even when we see or feel the need to stand up and serve, perhaps to please Him or express our love and gratitude.
Hello Martha!
We may say, ah! I would have done better. I would have sat next to Mary and listened. If Jesus knocked at my door, I would fix my gaze on Him, no distractions!
Is that what we do?
Are we not distracted today, probably more than Martha? What would Martha be doing today? Serving every Sunday and twice a week? Missions back to back? Busy with the work of the ministry? Caring for the needy? I am guilty as charged.
Jesus ascended, but He left His word with us, the Scriptures. He made sure they were compiled and translated into languages we understand. But how many of us are so tired from serving in church or ministry that we have no time for the Scriptures?
The work of the ministry seems more urgent than listening to the One who called us in the first place! We are up and down such that when the preacher comes, we are too tired to hear. Excellent in service, poor in the knowledge of the scriptures!
Always on time on Sundays, prayer meetings, and the home fellowship, but that’s the only time we ever open the scriptures. And even then, we are still wondering if our service is enough. Oh, I am speaking to me first!
More Than Daily Bread
Here’s the sad part. While we are busy with the distractions, the enemy is winning. It’s almost as if he is cheering us on to keep moving and serving and moving and serving until we are too worn out to hear.
Why? The Scriptures we’ve read and understood are our weapon against him. When we read and fail to understand, there is little to no fruit according to Matthew 13. The written word is what Jesus used when tempted. He is our pattern. We use the sword of the Spirit against deception.
And listen to His response to the first temptation, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,’” (Matthew 4:4).
He was quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Yeah, the Old Testament! All Scripture is God-breathed!
We need the word of God more than we need food, or our daily bread, as we call it. We need to reach out to our Bibles more than we reach out for the fridge or pantry.
We need to hear His voice daily more than we want to be heard, more than we want our prayers answered.
It is only in listening that we hear and know His perfect will for our lives. Only in silence do we hear the next instruction, lest we slay Isaac while the ram is provided.
What we call basic needs are secondary. Our basic need is ONE: to hear His voice
We should have the same mind as Christ, our pattern of sonship. Our food should be to do the will of God and finish our work, as Christ did (John 4:34).
But how will we know when to sit at the well and wait for the Samaritan if we are too busy or too distracted to listen? Remember how Jesus would withdraw to the mountains alone to pray? He is God. How much more should we set aside time daily to listen to God’s voice?
Here are some scriptures to ponder on:
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David (Isaiah 55:2-3).
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts (Jeremiah 15:16).
We “eat” the Scriptures daily!
This is how we survive in the wilderness. As long as the Holy Spirit is opening the scriptures to us, we will live and not die. Remember, He led Jesus to the wilderness. The Holy Spirit must have breathed or whispered the Scriptures that Jesus quoted.
The Holy Spirit brings the word to remembrance. He lights up the piece of manna for the day. But He can only remind us what we have read. He can only open the Scriptures when our Bibles are open.
Let’s choose the right posture. There will always be something else, some good works to do, and those we will do so that the world sees and glorifies our Father in heaven. But first things first.
One thing is needed. Listening to His voice. And that will NEVER be taken away from us. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never pass away.
Shalom!
