The One Thing.

Luke 10: 38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

It’s always been my thought that if there hadn’t been any sibling rivalry between Mary and Martha before Jesus’ visit, there sure would have been after.

I think we all secretly empathize with Martha even though we think we understand what Jesus is saying to her. We empathize because we know that when the pressure is on we are more likely to be running around, worried and distracted rather than sitting peacefully at the feet of Christ. And if there was someone around who could give a hand and ease the load but they chose to slip off to the chapel for some ‘quiet time’, we would not be impressed.

But this is not a story of two people, really. It’s the story of the two sides of all of us. It is an analogy of the nature of false self versus true self, and our innate empathy for Martha illustrates how much we live within the confines of our false self and are utterly familiar with its actions, attitudes and emotions.

It wasn’t so much that Martha was busy that was the problem; it was her attitudes and the fact that she was so worried and distracted. She was also obviously full of resentment, which led her to make judgments. She not only judged Mary; she judged Jesus as well. “Lord, do you not care…?” That was a judgment carefully couched in a question. Today we would call that question, “Passive Aggressive”. What she was really saying was, “All the responsibility is on my shoulders. I am doing all the work while you and Mary sit around and chat. Neither of you has offered to help and neither of you cares if we have a fire or a meal at all. If it wasn’t for me this place would be a mess.”

The false self or the Wounded Warrior is a pro at being a martyr. The Warrior easily finds reasons for resentment and uses them to stoke the smouldering fires within. But if Jesus and Mary had said, “Martha! You’re doing all the work…what can we do to help?” she most likely would have told them that she was fine and not to bother or else she might have given them some tasks but then critically micromanaged them. The Warrior has territories and defensive mechanisms and can’t easily allow others to share the burden unless full control is in its hands.

Martha may not have even particularly wanted help; she may have just wanted Jesus to notice her, approve of her busyness and praise her for carrying such a full load under such difficult circumstances. I’ve always assumed she was preparing a meal for Jesus but it doesn’t say that. It just says she was distracted by many tasks. She welcomed Jesus into her home but she failed to make him the focus of her life when he was there. So much to do. So many expectations. So much depending on her and her alone.

Meanwhile, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet completely focused on him. She hears his words, watches his eyes, delights in his smile and feels his whole nature of peace washing over her. This is True Self. True Self is at rest because it knows that this is where it belongs. This is what it was made for – to dwell within the circle of his love. The Wounded Warrior has somewhat to say about that. “You can’t just sit around! You have to be productive and effective. Nothing will get done if all you do is hang out with the Lord.” Wounded Warrior can’t sit. It feels too much guilt and pressure. It feels like everything is depending on it being in control and efficient.

That doesn’t mean that True Self is never active. It is often very active. But when True Self moves into action, it does so under God’s direction. It moves within the Lord’s nature. It goes out with grace, mercy, faith, justice, insight and wisdom and in power and effectiveness. True Self does not get busy for the sake of being busy or because there are heavy outside expectations and pressures. When True Self does go into action, the power of God is available to change people and situations but True Self isn’t overly concerned about measuring success and results. True Self simply desires to participate in the Kingdom dance with the Lord. What freedom comes from being a Mary! What incredible grace is available to those who find the still point within.

The Lord can really only consistently manifest himself through us when we have discovered the Mary Point within ourselves.  All the busyness, activity and efforts to be productive can never replace the beauty and power of a soul who has learned to sit at the feet of the Lord, to gaze at him while inquiring, “What do you ask of me, Lord? Where do you want me to go? If you want me to go, I’ll go. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay.”

The Martha, the Warrior within, welcomes the Lord into the house and works for the Lord but not with the Lord. The toiling Martha within often feels lonely and never realizes the companionship and warmth waiting at the still and silent Mary Point within. When I think of the difference it makes to know the peace of sitting at the Lord’s feet, it makes me think of that song from Psalm 84:

“For one day within your temple heals a thousand days alone.”

Throughout her life, Mary may have chanted verses of Psalm 84 to herself often:

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 
My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 
Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah! 

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

When Jesus entered Martha and Mary’s home and welcomed Mary to sit in his presence, it would have been like she had come to the Temple, the Tower, the home she had yearned for all her life. His presence immediately healed all the thousands of days she had spent elsewhere.

It’s good to go home. Go to your Mary Point.