But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
—Luke 10:42
I would imagine that if the Lord Jesus was a guest in our home we would act just like Martha. We would want our Lord to experience the best of everything we had to offer. As Independent Baptists I am afraid that we have much in common with Martha. Let me show you three ways.
First, she was distracted. The Spirit of God said that she “was cumbered about much serving.” Literally, she was distracted by her hospitality. We are often distracted by doing! Does our God want us to do, or does He want us to be? I believe that God wants us to be. The Lord told Martha that Mary had “chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” What was that good part? She was sitting at the feet of Jesus and enjoying His sweet presence. That is what the Lord wanted. He wanted the fellowship of His friends; He did not want food.
Second, she was disgruntled. Martha tattled on her own sister never realizing that she was talking to the Omniscient One. We are so quick to point our fingers at our brothers and sisters in Christ. Could it be because we are discontent with our lot in life? We think we are giving God what He wants, but we are not satisfied. There is no lasting fruit for all our labors. We will never please God by what we do. We will only please Him by what we are in Christ.
Third, she was disturbed. It is no wonder that Martha was anxious and disturbed about many things. That is exactly what happens to us when we trade worship for work. When we decide to serve before we sit we do things in our own strength. We are easily distracted and become disgruntled. Before long we are troubled about many things, deeply disturbed.
Here is the fact of the matter. Mary chose the good part. What has become of Martha’s service? Nothing that I am aware of—wood, hay, stubble. What has become of Mary’s sitting? “When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” Matthew 26:10-13—gold, silver, precious stones!