Martha

Luke 10:38 tells us Martha invited Jesus into her home. It doesn’t say if she was preparing a snack or if dinner was part of her hospitality, but at any rate, she was busy fixing something.
Now her sister, Mary, was sitting at Jesus’ feet, and Martha got bent out of shape about it. I’ve heard lots of commentaries and sermons, but I’ve never been satisfied with stereotyping Martha concerning her attitude in one moment in time, (or perhaps the real root of her discontent), while failing to recognize her great faith at another.

Martha displayed the gift of hospitality.
She did not have to invite Jesus into her home.
She wanted to. ..
As a woman who likes to cook (and does it well), I understand this. I enjoy having people in my home for meals or even just to visit. I’m mostly a ‘make yourself at home’ kind-of gal. Especially drinks: there is a time to serve people, (like the first visit or party) and there is a time to point them to the fridge, cupboard, ice box, and tell them to partake freely – mi casa es su casa.

I think in Martha’s day, formal serving was maybe more the custom of the day, and perhaps she was anxious to make a good impression on Jesus by being a wonderful hostess. Everything had to be “just so”. The word says she was ‘distracted’ by her preparations.
The one and only time I was this nervous about my dinner guests, (many years ago) the brisket turned out tough as a brick, and the rolls burned. Graciously, they laughed (plenty of jokes and ribbing about ‘artillery’ potential), we ordered pizza, and they returned many times afterwards to enjoy great cuisine and company.

When we get so caught up in serving someone to impress them rather than to bless them, it is easy to see where priorities need adjustment,
but I don’t want to diminish the importance of having a servant heart and serving people. (In any area).
I believe that when someone prepares a meal out of love, it is part of living out worship: whether it is a dinner party in your home, the thanksgiving meal, preparing food at the local soup kitchen or shelter, cooking meals on a mission trip, teaching teens or ex offenders how to cook for themselves at a half-way house, or just the daily family meal.

I think Martha had a servant heart, she just got side-tracked for a moment. More than feeling left out, maybe her ideals of custom dictated that her sister should be serving too; apparently it didn’t bother her that Lazarus was reclining with Jesus while she did all the work because of tradition and culture, but no one was demanding Mary to do so, and she was a woman. It must have felt a little unjust to Martha, as if she did not matter. Cinderella syndrome? Perhaps it seemed to her that Mary was being shown favoritism, while she was being unappreciated.
That’s just what it sounds like to me.

Maybe she could have just stopped what she was doing and sat at Jesus’ feet too. And maybe it would not have mattered if the meal was late or never prepared. But my guess is, that is not what her problem was. Instead of being ‘distracted’ by preparations, maybe Martha just forgot that when we are called to serve, (to bless, not to impress), our own blessings come from that very service –we don’t have to worry we are missing out.

She could have exclaimed, “Hey Jesus! The kitchen is in here! Everyone gather round and You can teach while I cook!” I mean, Jesus didn’t have a problem breaking man-made traditions when breaking them was a good thing. I know some of the best conversations I’ve ever had have been in the kitchen while I’m cooking or doing dishes.
But in her day, it probably seemed rude to her to even consider such a thing. And the kitchen might not have been spacious enough. But anyway, I just think she gets a bad rap when all she did was feel unappreciated and sorry for herself for just a moment. If anyone wants to throw a stone, then s/he must never, ever have held their own pity party, even for a second.
Any takers?
Not me.

Martha was actually a woman of great faith. In John 11 when Lazarus died Martha confronts Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." (vs. 21, 22) She recognized His Lordship and she already had the faith that whatever Jesus asked, it would be given to Him, perhaps even delivering Lazarus from death?! She declares He is the Christ, the Son of God. And when she tells Mary that Jesus has arrived, she calls Him Teacher. Curious… Was this anticipation?

Verse 5 says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” We know Jesus loved mankind enough to die for our sins, but this is personal. These three were close, personal friends of Jesus who He held dear, and loved.
Men were usually listed first in Hebrew culture. Here, Martha is listed first; she is no second rate person to Jesus by any means.
Can you imagine getting to be a close, personal friend of Jesus when He walked the earth?! To be embraced by the Lord God in the flesh?! To be called one whom He loved?! Wow! That gives me pause…[Selah]

Martha may have gotten bent out of shape for a moment, but I’m thinking she got it right somewhere on the journey. Maybe she learned her gift of hospitality could be just as much worship as Mary pouring perfume on His feet and wiping it with her hair.
Very different outward actions, but same servant heart.

endnote: Ironically, while I was writing this, I stopped to warm up some leftovers before the kids dashed off to this event and that, and in my haste to return to writing, I pushed 2 minutes instead of 20 seconds on the microwave for a small piece of meat. After 1:30 it began to smoke. My kids told me burnt offerings were no longer part of God’s plan, and anyway, how would He have ever thought that awful smell was a sweet aroma? No way! You just have to love how God keeps us humble and has a sense of humor!