Storytime: Mary and Martha

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared. But Martha became exasperated with finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? ...

You should tell her to get up & help me.”

The Lord answered her,

“Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.”

-LUKE 10:38-42 TPT

Let’s ponder a few things:

Martha invited Jesus into her home as her guest. She then distracted herself with worry, chose to do chores, got angry at her guest of honor (Jesus) and her sister, and finally interrupted them with her hostility instead of blessing them with hospitality. 

Martha failed at embarrassing her sister when she tried demanding Jesus to force Mary to help. Did you notice that before that- Martha never asked Mary (or anyone else) for help? And, even though Martha was the one who welcomed Jesus into her home, she made the choice to focus on other things instead of prioritizing Him.

Mary saw her guest, Jesus. She then sat at His feet and listened to Him speak, as a disciple would have done. Did you notice Mary never spoke? She must have been in total trust that Jesus had it handled.

Jesus went into their home and sat down. He then began to speak. He responded to Martha’s interrogation with God’s love!

The other guests witnessed it all.

We don’t know what happened next after that. We can only imagine. The lessons here are anchored in presence, hospitality, focus, and love. Each person’s choices regarding those things determined their experiences.

Did you have other observations or takeaways?

When it comes to Mothering Well in God, who are you in this story?

Martha? Mary? Jesus? The other guests?

Martha? 

You invited Jesus into your heart [mind], then distracted yourself with worry, choosing to do other things instead of focusing on Him. Getting angry at your Guest of Honor for when things don’t go your way, even though He’s always right there, going through it with you.

Instead of asking Him for help or to send help- you decide to do it all in your own strength. The results? Frustration, resentment, regret, exhaustion, feeling alone, loneliness, a rabbit-hole or downward spiral if left unchecked or corrected.

You welcomed your child(ren) into this world, then distracted yourself with perfection and comparison, choosing to entertain anxious thoughts instead of trusting God. Worrying about things out of your control, & yet, still trying to control those things. You also won’t ask for help.

And even though you welcomed your child or children into your world- because you made choices that cause you to do other things instead of focusing on them, they have become the interruption. So you’re getting angry at your guest of honor for simply wanting to be- present, with you.

If you feel like Martha now or ever, God sees the caliber of mom you work everyday to become. He’s been with you in every challenge you’ve faced and overcome.

Accept this invitation to deepen your relationship with Jesus in everyday moments, and discover the superabundance God has equipped you with for your unique motherhood journey- by immersing yourself in The Manual for Mothering Well in God Support System from The Mothering Journey Academy™.

Each multi-sensory therapeutic experience by The Mothering Journey Academy™ is designed to guide moms in healing and self-celebration through tangible expressions of God’s love. Embracing more peace, presence, and pure joy from these Trauma to Treasure™ transformations nurtures their relationship with Jesus and their child(ren).

Get The Manual for Mothering that speaks directly to your heart, offering practical steps and spiritual insights to overcome the unique challenges of motherhood. Choose your immersive experience with The Manual for Mothering Well in God Support System.

To God what? Be the glory!

Mrs. Monique Harris