“It’s not fair!” That’s a complaint that we often hear. Parents especially hear that cry from one or another of their children. If a child perceives that one of their siblings is getting special treatment, or getting out of having to do the work that they must do, they will complain that it isn’t fair. Adults, if they are being honest, will admit that they sometimes think that, though they may not always voice the complaint. They think it’s not fair when their workload is increased, or someone else gets the promotion they felt they should have. They complain it isn’t fair when someone else gets tax cuts they don’t get, or benefits they aren’t given. Rightly or wrongly, we all have times when we say something isn’t fair. In our Gospel account today from Luke, we read of two sisters, one of whom complained that things weren’t fair in her eyes.
As our Scripture passage begins, Jesus and His twelve disciples have come to the village where Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, live (vs. 38). These three siblings, each still unmarried, lived together. There is never a mention of their parents, so it is quite probable that they were deceased. The three lived in the village of Bethany, which was right outside of Jerusalem, about two miles east of the Temple, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus were believers and followers of Jesus, and dearly loved Him, so whenever He was in the area He frequently stayed with Him.
When Jesus and the twelve arrived, Martha was quite eager to give them a good meal, and a pleasant time of relaxing for a few hours. To prepare a nice meal for thirteen guests, along with herself and siblings, would be a significant task, however, Martha wanted to make sure she was the perfect hostess. Mary, on the other hand, was listening to what Jesus was talking about to the disciples and to her brother Lazarus. She may have initially been helping her sister, but fairly quickly, Mary sat down to listen to Jesus’ teachings (vs 39).
Martha, though, worked herself into a tumult trying to get the meal cooking, the table set, beverages passed around, etc. (vs. 40). As she was rushing back and forth, trying to get everything done, she must have noticed her sister sitting there, absorbed in listening to Jesus, and not helping out. Martha began to get more and more irritated as time went on, and after a while, when she felt it wasn’t fair, she went up to Jesus and complained to Him that Mary wasn’t helping or doing her share of the work (vs. 40). Don’t You care, Lord, that I am having to do all of the work by myself? This isn’t fair! Tell her to help me!
Rather than agreeing with Martha, and telling Mary to get up and start doing her share of the work, Jesus gently scolded Martha (vs. 41-42). He told her that all of her fussing about trying to get a special meal prepared was not necessary. She could easily have set out some bread, some deli meats, cheese, and some chips, and they all could have served themselves buffet-style. Jesus would have been grateful and satisfied. He told Martha that only one thing was necessary, and that was shown by Mary - an attitude of worship and meditation, listening with an open mind and heart to His words. Jesus wasn’t blaming Martha for being concerned about household chores. None of her tasks were inherently bad, and He wasn’t saying it was wrong to do them. Jesus was pointing out that they were distracting her from the best thing - Himself.
Many of the things we do from day to day are important, but we must be careful to discern what is good from what is best. Jesus asks that we set our priorities. Don’t let service become busy work, and no longer devotion. Never allow something else to take Jesus’ place on the throne. Our relationship with Him is the most valuable thing we have.
God wants us to have a deep and intimate relationship with Him. Martha and Mary both loved Jesus, and were both serving Him. Martha thought Mary’s style of serving was inferior to hers. But Martha was actually neglecting Jesus. While works of service are important, they should never come before the fellowship He wants with us. To have fellowship with Jesus we may have to leave some things undone. Our greatest need is to spend time with Him.
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