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 only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary chose what was better. Martha was doing something good, but not what was best at that time. We see it so clearly in this story, but have a hard time seeing it in ourselves. Inside each of us live both Mary and Martha. They both have their time and place. But we tend to let Martha take center stage more often. I think Martha is a vivid example of modern Christians trying to juggle all their obligations to God, family, friends, work, and others. We tend to follow the example of Martha, even though Jesus told us and we know that Mary chose what was better!

We need to do what Mary did. We need to take time to spend time with Jesus. We need to take time to listen to Jesus. How do you spend your “free time?” It is so easy to say we are too busy to spend quiet time with Jesus, but are you? Or is it simply a matter of how you choose to spend your time. Part of the problem is that we have too many options to choose from. Every day you encounter distractions from taking time with Jesus. These distractions come to you in things that sound like good ideas. Cell phones, Television, sporting events, movies, school activities and a host of other things vie for your attention. They don’t appear in the form of pitchfork and horns and a tail. Sometimes the distractions are a waste of time. Other times even good and worthwhile things can distract us from doing what is better, or what is best. Jesus tells us the best thing is to take time to listen to His words, like Mary did.

Martha had a sense of “rightness.” She was doing what she knew to be the right thing. She was thinking, “how dare Mary sit there while I do all the work!” We can all get that same sense of rightness in our lives, convinced that we are doing the right thing. You need to be careful when you judge. There was a woman who had some time to kill in a busy airport. She bought a cup of coffee and a small package of cookies, then staggered to an unoccupied table. She was reading the morning paper when she became aware of cellophane rustling at her table. She looked over the top of her paper and was shocked at what she saw. A nicely dressed young man was helping himself to one of her cookies. She was angry, but didn’t want to make a scene, so she leaned across and took a cookie for herself. A minute or two passed. More rustling. He helped himself to another cookie. By the time they were down to the last one, she was fuming, but couldn’t bring herself to say anything. The young man picked up the last cookie, broke it in two, pushed half across the table to her, ate the other half, and left. A little while later, the public address system called for her flight. She was still angry as she dug through her purse looking for her boarding pass. Imagine her embarrassment when she opened her handbag and saw her package of cookies. She had been eating his! She had been convinced she was right, but was very wrong! So it was with Martha. She was sure she was doing the right thing. And what she was doing was good. But what Mary was doing was better!

Those operating from a Martha mentality can get caught up in the thinking that what they do finishes what Jesus did. Don’t be mistaken. Your acts of righteousness and obedience do contribute to being a Christian, but they do not contribute to being saved. Jesus did all that. When He said, “It is finished” it was. We simply receive what He has already done. And the best thing to do in response to this is take time to listen to Him. You need that. You need to hear that your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. You need to hear that His death was the payment for your sins. You need to be reminded that His resurrection is your victory over death and the grave. You miss out on those things when you don’t take time to be with Jesus.

When you take time to spend time with Jesus, you are in good company. You are in God’s company. Works of service are good and appropriate and have their place in our lives. But taking advantage of the opportunity to listen to the Lord himself speak to you is even better.