Mary, Martha, and Me
JANET ZUKOWSKI
Despite hearing countless sermons over my life and attending Bible studies and reading the Bible myself, it's hard to pinpoint when something I read or heard made a direct impact on my living and behavior. One instance I specifically remember is when I read the Mary and Martha passage from Luke 10 as part of a Bible study. It was near the holidays, and back then one of my sisters hosted both a Thanksgiving and Christmas gathering. I sometimes helped with the prep upon arrival. But it was post-meal, post-dessert when I'd see the dirty dishes needing to be washed and the leftovers needing to be divided and put away. And since I didn't do the bulk of the preparations, I felt I should help with the clean-up. Not everyone was aware of the need or interested in helping. Sometimes multiple people chipped in, and with more people it's more fun and goes quicker.
On the occasion that I was the only one working and felt like others who could/should chip in weren't, I would feel resentful and brew in my anger. "Can't they pack up their own leftovers?" "Doesn't anyone one else feel any obligation to help here??" So, I really love that Martha took her grievance against Mary to the local authority to remedy her plight when she felt overburdened with the preparations. And I equally love that Jesus gently (it seems gently, anyway) tells Martha that in this instance Mary has chosen better and he's not gonna ask or tell her to do differently. I've never been quite sure if Martha is supposed to abandon her tasks for the moment and join Mary in listening at the feet of Jesus or if she's supposed to keep doing the prep but without obligating Mary to her sisterly or womanly role. I like to imagine that Martha sat down to listen, and when it came time to eat, all the disciples chipped in to help finish getting everything ready. I doubt that's exactly how it went down, but that's my "happy ending."
Anyhow, after reading this passage that particular year, I was convicted of my poor attitude from the last holiday. So, with the next holiday gathering close at hand, when I got up to help after dinner, I made a concerted effort to serve out of love without foisting my expectations on others; I served with gratitude, not resentment. This hasn't been the case in every instance since, but on that day I felt convicted through what I read, I responded, and I was the better for it.
Janet Zukowski is a 9 on the Enneagram and all too easily relates to being distracted by “many things” in lieu of the “one thing.” She has attended Imago Dei for six years and enjoys being a part of the Breakfast Club.