Luke 10:40-42 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.”  41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This Bible is such a great read. I mean, whatever your favorite movie has, the Bible has it in spades. A great plot, incredible action, a captivating love saga, and even season or franchise-ending cliffhangers. You know when the plot takes a crazy twist or the character has a crucial decision to make, and just when it is time for that tantalizing moment to take place, boom, the credits start appearing on the screen, or even worse, those words we dread…To Be Continued….

NOOOOO!!!! I need to know what happens next. 

Well, in Luke’s Gospel, that is where we find ourselves. Jesus is spending time with a few of His favorite people (keep reading, you’ll see it for yourself…Jn. While He is visiting and speaking with Mary, big sister Martha enters the room and is dismayed. She is super busy trying to make everything special for Jesus’ visit, after all, it’s Jesus. Who wouldn’t want to ensure that His visit met His standards and was worthy of such a King? Well, Jesus wouldn’t.

In Martha’s desire to make things ideal (almost perfect), much work and many things had to be addressed. Do you ever feel like that? “If this doesn’t go perfectly, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Well, of course, in her mind, it has to be this way, and I need help to make it happen. I need Jesus to be happy with my effort. So, I have to have help. Who can help me, and why have they not stepped in already? Don’t they know how important this is (to me, Martha)? Don’t we think all of these things in our heads sometimes (often)? 

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

This is not what Jesus thinks; in fact, this text shows that He believes the exact opposite. When Jesus visits, everything should be dropped, and rest is of the utmost importance. 

Martha became upset because her needs were not being met. As a matter of fact, she became visibly upset!! Upset with herself, with her circumstances, with her sister, and ultimately with her Savior. Her first accusation was against Jesus. In her hurt, her disappointment (maybe even perceived disapproval), she:

1. Accused Jesus: “Lord, do You not care? Oh, how many times has that been a question in our hearts about “The One” who cared so much that He gave it all for each of Us. I mean, I’m thinking those very words as I type because of my own situation. We like to cover it up in beautiful church lingo so it can sound like a deep prayer. However, at its core, it is clearly a jab to let Jesus know that if You genuinely cared about me… How often have we also done this to our loved ones? Admit it, we accuse (so does that put us in the same category as… Rev 12:10). 
2. Blamed Mary: my sister has left me to serve alone. Look at her, what I want is way more important. She should be helping me. I’m doing this, so everything else has lower priority. You know, in our own minds, we are very difficult people to be around. It’s a good thing no one else lives there (but there is another in there). Martha blamed her sister for not helping, even though she did not understand what Mary was doing. I believe that Martha knew where Mary was and what Mary was doing. She didn’t understand the why. Do we ever really care about someone else’s why, when it is affecting us now?? I’m learning to wonder why more, I’m even sometimes having the courage to ask “why.” Do you ever actually wonder why? I think sometimes we don’t wonder why or ask others their why, because the answer might be “me,” or because of you, and we really don’t want to know that. 
3. Demanded Action: Therefore tell her to help me!!! She demanded correction to Mary’s apparent betrayal. Like Martha, we demand things from others to suit our priorities, our will, our plans. And if we’re honest, it is unfair to them. One, because at the core of that demand was a selfish attempt to gain favor, approval, adoration, maybe even of Jesus. Yet, Jesus has already adored you with His shed blood (Jn 3:16); He has already approved us in the beloved (Eph 1); and has showered us with favor (Pro 8:35). Maybe when we are feeling like Martha, we should ask ourselves “why.” 

Here is the beautiful thing about Jesus: while He knows everything, He never condemns His beloved. He corrects us in Love:

1. Jesus Acknowledges Us: Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Martha was dismayed, and Jesus did not dismiss it. He acknowledged that she was frustrated, but He also told her what the problem was. She was worried and troubled. Martha thought she was being ignored and rejected, but she was actually something else entirely. 
2. Jesus Answers Us: But one thing is needed. Jesus always gives us the answer, whether by His Spirit, in His Word, or by sending someone else. Now, it is very often not what we want to hear. Martha expected Him to capitulate to her demand, kind of like what many in very important positions are doing daily for one elected narcissist (while true, that was my flesh). No, Jesus answers in truth. The one thing Martha needed was the “why” Mary was not helping her(and Mary has chosen that good part). I’m sure you’ve been there when Jesus’ answer is the exact opposite of what you’ve demanded from Him? Fix them, and He will correct you and address your attitude. Lastly,
3. Jesus Assured Us: which will not be taken away from her. Jesus let Martha know (and Mary, for that matter) that Mary had chosen that good part; He assured them both that He would never allow that to be taken away. The Lord is our protector and our defender. When we choose Him, He protects us. In this case, Mary chose to sit at His feet, to be fed by Him, receive His wisdom and joy and peace; to be in His Presence (Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy). He wants us to have that, and He will protect it at all costs, even if that cost is us. 

So this leads me back to the title of this little share: What Did Martha Choose??? The story ends with us not knowing. It is a cliffhanger that we may never know. But it leaves us with a decision we must make. So what will you choose???