The Story of Mary and Martha: Inspiring Lessons We Learn

By Chong Sheng

Early in the morning, the rays of the sun pour on Xiaojing, who is reading the Bible. She grabs hold of the Bible, reading the scriptures in a still small voice, “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was encumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

Xiaojing frowns and cannot figure out why the Lord Jesus said to Martha, “You are careful and troubled about many things” and “Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” What was God’s will by saying this?

By pondering, Xiaojing has finally understood that Martha and Mary represent two kinds of people in the church. People like Martha work frantically, focus on laboring, spending and making efforts outwardly. They don’t pay close attention to being quiet before the Lord to seek the truth; that is why they are often entangled and bound by many things, feeling restless and anxious. However, other people are like Mary, who sit at the feet of the Lord Jesus and listened to His teaching. They love the truth, thirst for the truth, and focus on obtaining the truth and life from the Lord’s words. They are the people God likes most.

Thinking about this, Xiaojing cannot help but think of what the Lord Jesus said before, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), and “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). The Lord Jesus forgave man’s sin, healed the sick and cast out demons. But on top of that, He also expressed the way of repentance: He asked people to love others as themselves and to forgive others seventy times seven. He spoke many parables in which there was truth to be sought. So Xiaojing realizes that pursuing and gaining the truth is the only way to enter God’s kingdom, and that the truth is the most precious thing the Lord Jesus gives us. The Lord hopes that we can thirst for and cherish the truth expressed by Him, live by His words, and become simple and honest like little children.

Looking at herself, she finds that her pursuit is the same as Martha’s pursuit. She usually puts her efforts and attention on outward working, busying herself with spreading the gospel, giving sermons, visiting patients, and so on. She doesn’t put effort in the Lord’s words, rarely ponders and practices His words. So she often has no idea about the Lord’s will and requirement when encountering things. She is wrapped up in too many things, and unable to figure them out. Reading the Lord’s discipline to Martha, Xiaojing gets to know that Martha’s behaviors were displeasing to the Lord, and her faith was not in line with the Lord’s will. It is just as the Bible says, “He delights not in the strength of the horse: he takes not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy” (Psalm 147:10-11). Xiaojing is aware that if she continues to pursue this way, she will stray ever farther from the Lord’s will, and never be able to receive the Lord’s praise.

After understanding this, Xiaojing then secretly resolves within her heart: She will no longer blindly work from the outside, but rather, she will put more effort on the Lord’s words while serving the Lord, focus on pondering His words and demands, so that she can act according to the Lord’s words, serve Him in accordance with the Lord’s will, and live out the image the Lord likes.