Are you a Martha or a Mary?
Sitting in BSF over 10 years ago, one of the women in the group lamented, “Ugh I’ve just been such a Martha lately. I am so distracted and busy.”
Another one piped in, “Oh man me too! Total Martha. I am such a busy-body.”
I sat there sort of dumbfounded. Due to my spotty attendance, I didn’t confidently know either of their names… but I knew it was not Martha.
So I sheepishly ask, “What does that mean? Who is Martha?”
Our leader responded super sweetly, “They’re referring to Martha vs. Mary in the Bible. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus while her sister Martha prepares and readies the house. Martha gets frustrated Mary isn’t helping, but Jesus says she’s doing exactly what she needs to do.”
She was referencing this passage from Luke 10:38-42:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
This exchange at BSF stuck with me for two reasons:
It was on that day I realized though my name may be Mary (Clay), Martha was my spirit animal.
My Biblical knowledge was meager at best.
Let’s cover Point 1 first.
An example morning for me goes a little something like this… IF (big if, and I know my husband is loling at this) I wake up before the kids, I take my morning supplements, pour my coffee, have every intention of walking straight to my quiet time chair (yes, I have a quiet time chair - highly recommend it), and 9 times out 10 my brain does this:
Did you switch the laundry?
Gross, put those last dishes in the dishwasher.
Wait, is the dishwasher finished?
What do we have for breakfast for the kids?
Go ahead and turn the oven on.
Might as well start making lunches too.
Before I know it, I’ve spent 10 minutes “Martha-ing” around the house like a little do-do bird.
Does this sound familiar to you?
Rather than just going and sitting at the feet of Jesus, I’m busybodying around for … what? For whom? Myself? Honestly yes. My kids will probably have an opinion whether the breakfast is ready or not ready, so really what’s the dang point?
{I’m getting off topic, but the exchange from THIS morning is too good not to share:
Field: But it’s Friday! We’re supposed to go to Bluebonnet Bakery on Friday! And YOU gave me a cinnamon roll! YOU spoiled my day! I had cinnamon rolls and not cookies for breakfast! (Fake crying and flailing in the chair across from me with bedhead and dinosaur boxer briefs).
I’m sorry. Is this real life? QUIET YOU.}
But really it’s just more to my point - the tiny tyrants in my house I’m readying things for are completely irrational, so my attempts at making our house less chaotic or messy rather than making my heart less chaotic and messy makes zero sense. But it gets me almost every time.
Another case for Marth:
If I were in the exact same situation of the aforementioned passage, my sister Mary would be annoying me to no end.
I would huff past her as I dusted the coffee table. I would exhale loudly as I moved the orchid a millimeter to the left. I would say, “I’m fine.” if she asked if I was ok, and I would stomp toward the oven to dramatically remove the brie. I would rattle the ice bucket while perfectly arranging the champagne and laying out the cocktail napkins.
All for… what? For whom?
Myself? Yep.
Take this verse for example from Isaiah 64:6 to really drive it home: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
My work is but filthy rags to him. Filthy rags! Jesus doesn’t need my edits and errands. He doesn’t actually need a thing from me. Yet He wants my heart.
This leads me into my second point above: My Biblical knowledge was meager at best.
To give Him more of my heart and to shift out of self and into who He made me to be… I need to know more about Him.
This devotional alone won’t cut it. Just listening to worship music won’t cut it. Only sitting in a pew won’t cut it. Going to small group once a week won’t cut it.
To truly know Him and become more like Him, we’ve got to be in His Word. Soaking it up. Reading it, memorizing it, applying it to our lives.
Did you know God’s Word is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God? There’s a reason for that.
IT’S THAT POWERFUL.
Whew this is just coming to me right now, but all week, I’ve been so stumped on what to write. Feeling heavy. Feeling like I don’t know if I can do it.
The spiritual warfare has been real. I’m not sitting here saying I’m on the frontlines for Christ, but I do know the more I’ve stepped into what I believe to be his calling on my life - to write for him - the harder it gets.
{Sidenote for my fellow sensies out there - If you do not know God’s A#1 calling on your life, look around. Are you momming newborns? Are you working a 9-5 to support your family? Are you basking in the glow of retirement? Are you studying for the MCAT? He is there, and you are RIGHT where you’re supposed to be at this exact moment of your life. Stay the course. He is for you. He is with you. There’s opportunity all around you everyday to abide in Christ! THAT is your calling. It’s every believer’s A#1 calling.
K? K. }
Back to the offensive weapon of God’s word. In fighting through the warfare to give up/feeling down about possibly not being able to keep doing this, do you know the scripture that kept coming to mind?
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Take THAT satan. I’ll be honest it wasn’t an immediate relief, but more of a slow, steady, little engine that could stirring from the Holy Spirit to keep going. This is a v small, petty example of hardship, but I just wanted to share that spiritual warfare is real. It can be big and overwhelming or it can be pesky and annoying. We’ve gotta be armed!
Annnnd for the record - I do not know that much scripture. My little ADD brain has a hard time remembering what I did yesterday, so really I’m putting this out there to be held accountable to knowing more about the Bible and about who God is.
The quote “the more I learn the less I know” could not be more applicable to how I feel about the Bible. This book is so rich. It’s living. It’s a life manual for whatever you are going through. But digging deeper into it is a discipline. In some seasons, it’s easy. I crave it. I retain it. In other seasons (like now), it feels hard. It feels like a chore.
But we press on! No one is more aware of what it takes for you to get into His word than God - and He’s not shocked or mad at you. Rest in that. Ask Him to help you carve out the time. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the scripture. That’s in the Holy Spirit’s job description btw - He’s our helper, our advocate, and He intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray!
So. Taking it full circle. How do we get to know God more and crave sitting at His feet vs. busying ourselves with our to-dos and to-bes?
How do we start being Marys in a Martha world?
Step 1. Trust that you’re right where you’re supposed to be, and ask God to help you carve out the time and the desire to sit at His feet.
Step 2. Read your Bible. Arm yourself with scripture. Use this tool - scroll to the bottom for a summary.
Step 3. Prioritize memorizing it and applying it to your life. One verse at a time.
Step 4. When you stray or get the idontwannas, just stop. Turn around. He’s right there.
Father God, you are worthy of more than just our quiet times. You are worthy of every breath and every praise of every day! We fall so short of this God. We get wrapped up in our to-do lists and miss out on sitting at your feet. How precious that you even want us there God! You don’t need us, yet you want us. What love! Father help the person reading this find the time to sit at your feet this week. Holy Spirit, illuminate your living Word and make it applicable to their lives. Give them the discipline to exercise this muscle! Your word is a lamp - let it be so as we step into this week and into your will. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.
This Week’s Scripture Suggestions
Sunday/Monday: Luke 10:38-42
Tuesday: Isaiah 64:1-9
Wednesday: Ephesians 6:10-18
Thursday: Galatians 6:1-10
Friday: James 4:4-10
Saturday: 1 Peter 1:22-25