Page 10 - January 2025 - Truth & Tidings

n the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, we ter's words: “Be hospitable to each other
could say that in the midst of many without secretly wishing you hadn’t got to
IMarys, there is only one Martha. Her be!” Martha's service effectively provided
very name implies a strong personality, for others, but her underlying attitude
1
a quality borne out in her regular activity. presented a problem. Was she murmuring
She has often been fodder for preachers while making the meal? Was she secretly
who compare and contrast her with her wishing that she could leave behind her
siblings and draw negative conclusions mundane chores to be like Mary? Her
that highlight Mary’s spiritual virtue and protest to the Lord (v40) seemed like the
Martha’s carnal tendencies. Yet, Martha’s boiling point of the simmering bitterness
interactions with the Lord Jesus don’t she had carried around all morning. In
paint a hopelessly negative picture of her. this case, she was not showing hospitality
They do, however, provide practical les- without grudging.
sons from her weaknesses and strengths, We have often been told that the Lord
and show how the Lord can refine our rebuked Martha for her activity in service,
faith and character through suffering. We but in reality, He only rebuked her for
will look at two of the three Martha pas- being distracted by service. The words
sages of the New Testament. “cumbered” (v40) and “troubled” (v41)
Distracted in Service (Luke share a similar meaning and indicate that
Martha’s deaconess service had pulled her
10:38-42) away from something more important.

Let’s be fair: it was her house (v38). She Perhaps identifying a couple of Martha’s
was accustomed to arranging the menu struggles will help us address issues in
and meals in the home. Here, she was in our own service.
control. But on this day, the pressure of First, we notice that she was serving the
entertaining was overwhelming, and she Lord, but her eyes were on someone else.
could use a little help. We cannot deny As she focused on Mary, her heart became
that she was busy in the most essential of jealous and bitter – and so will our hearts
Christian ministries by showing love to if our ministry is done with this toxic at-
the brethren and entertaining strangers in titude. It is very common for our carnal
her house (Heb 13:1-2). However, there ap- flesh to take pride in our own service and
pears to be a slight issue with her service. condemn the devotion and activity of oth-
Peter commands the show of hospital- ers. The Lord Jesus' words come to mind
ity, but with the critical caveat, “without as He addressed Peter’s unhealthy interest
grudging” (1Pe 4:9). J.B. Phillips’ trans- in John’s ministry. The words “What is
2
lation helps us see the importance of Pe- that to thee? Follow thou me” (Joh 21:22)
help us to focus on our responsibility and
1 Dominant one; mistress; Stelman Smith and can preserve us from many pitfalls on our
Judson Cornwall, The Exhaustive Dictionary path of discipleship.
of Bible Names (North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge- Second, we see that she prioritized the
Logos, 1998), 167.
2 Bible quotations in this article are from the physical and temporary. Care for the
KJV. practical needs of the saints became a con-

10 TRUTH kTidings January 2025