One Thing

“…Now it came to pass, as they went, that Jesus Christ and His disciples entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received them into her house.”

Here is a certain village. John (12:1) says that the village was Bethany, nestled on the eastern slope of Olivet about one and five-eighths miles from Jerusalem, on the road that led to Jericho and Trans-Jordan. Jesus must have visited there frequently as He traveled between Galilee and Jerusalem.

Not only a “certain village” but a “certain woman”! Certain can mean without doubt, reliable, separate, determined, a definite place and a definite woman… not just any woman or any village. Martha was determined, reliable, controlled, steady, and positive… a woman of service… serving always. Martha was the woman of the house, the elder sister of Mary and Lazarus, all being special friends of Jesus. Martha, however, took the responsibility of the household.

God’s work needs the characteristics of Martha… a woman of service. But, like Martha many are always busy daily, hourly; no time to meditate on the word of God; not only reading but meditating… a quiet hour to commune with the Lord. They rush into the streets, always rushing. Why so fast? What is the hurry?

The spirit of prophecy teaches us many lessons. Mary, the contemplative type, took the time to listen with respect and feed on the words of Jesus. Martha was diligently working, busy serving at the table. Martha tends to be outspoken, compared to Mary’s quiet devotion to Jesus. The Greek word “ekouen” means that Mary was continually listening to the Master, or that it was her custom to do so. “Martha was cumbered about much serving.” (v40). The Greek word “periespato” means to be pulled away or to be pulled apart, hence “distracted”, “overburdened”. The Lord cannot just look upon Mary as doing nothing. Martha, frustrated, said, “I’m doing all the work”! Jesus was tired, after a long trip, hungry. Here we have a marvelous lesson for us. Jesus’ attention to small things is even greater proof of His greatness. (Heav. P. 61). Listen to Him speaking to Martha as she comes to Him with the request that He bid (ask) her sister to help her with serving. He tells her not to allow the cares of the household to disturb the peace of her soul. Jesus’ affectionate rebuke was evoked by Martha’s failure to recognize the primary importance of His teaching. Her busy activity was not out of place, but out of proportion!

“Martha, Martha”, He says… On several occasions Jesus repeated a name when He wanted to make some unusually impressive statement (Acts 9:4) (Lk 22:31). Jesus continued, “thou art careful and troubled about many things, but ‘ONE THING’ is needed (needful), and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Lk 10:41,42). Do you pay attention to the small things in life? Do you take the time to see the needs, the small things in life that matter… the “ONETHING”… you may overlook? Furthermore, Jesus said, “Mary is right, listen to Me.”

Jesus did not condemn Martha’s work, but her excessive attention to material things, robbed her of the benefit of receiving the Lord’s instruction, and disturbed her peace of mind! But, Jesus Christ complimented her sense of values. She realized there were higher values than physical comforts. Having found them, she was allowed to keep them… precious values.

Is the “ONE THING” you see in Martha missing? Is the “ONE THING” missing in your life? Many are listening to the words of Jesus Christ, like a father, for example, teaching things to his son. If a father explains patiently things of interest to his son, how much more are we to listen to the words of Jesus Christ?!

We hear and read such great teachings from the lips of Jesus Christ. It’s good to put them into practice, to learn of eternal things, eternal life, than other things of this world which have no values, perishable, only passing.
Martha needed serenity, peace, devotion in her heart, her life. But food, comfort and service took up her time… no time to study the word of God, to pray, meditate. No time!! How often we hear that cry. No time!!

Charles Buxton, an English author (1823-1871), wrote, “You will never ‘find’ time for anything. If you want time you must make it.” Here’s a wise message for us today.

The troubled world today is on the same disaster course… No time! A world in which man’s god is technology. A world in which the computer companies are competing in a cold-war race, and man is the prey!
Desire, strive, seek for the eternal life, today, a future of great progress… certain progress and success… spiritually! This is the good news of this time… the words of Jesus Christ… “The thing that thou doest is not good.” (Ex 18:17).

God needs hard workers, now more than ever! But, first, we must sit at the feet of Jesus, like Magdaleine. We need to study and learn the life of Jesus first. Then share it with others, to be alert, awake, to His teachings, and the times of Jesus… a thorough finisher of life.

We don’t take time even to admire flowers. We should study the creation, meditating on the creation of the Sabbath, the solar system, the sun, the distant moon, stars, the entering of the first day when the Lord spoke and there was light, separating day from night.

Every time you read the Bible, feel like Mary did with Jesus, and meditate, listen. When we pray, God helps us. When we open the Bible we’re listening to the voice of Jesus as Mary listened so intently. Did you ever realize that?

Time does not wait for us! Time is late! In the wink of an eye a house can be destroyed, lost! A life can be snuffed out in a second! Sickness can afflict our lives forever! Yet, man waits, and waits, and says, “you have asked a hard thing!” (2 Kings 2:10).

Pray now that you do not waste any more time; not one minute. It’s later than you think! Use your time… His time wisely, by reading the word of God, listening to His voice, the voice of the Creator, letting His handiwork in your life. Yet, money and time and labour are devoted to the class who are “ever learning, yet never able to come to the experimental knowledge of the truth”. (2T 13:7). Why? Because they will not practice… live the truth in their daily lives.

There are Marthas in every church. They are intensely busy in religious activities, and they do much good (God bless them); but, we need also Mary” side of character. “The most zealous workers need to learn at the feet of Jesus.” (TM346).

Here’s the story of Mary vs Martha. It shows the first order of importance of spiritual worship over service. Service, if it doesn’t degenerate into mere fleshly business, spoiled by vexations and tensions, illustrated by Martha. Service must be grounded in true spiritual worship of Christ, illustrated by Mary, who not only served but sat at the feet of Jesus, the “ONE THING” needed!

May the Lord help us to sit at the feet of Jesus, to meditate, learn, live the teachings of Jesus Christ in practice; to be, then a blessing for self, family, church, and others.

“Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, as to that which we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” (Phil. 3:15, 16).
This is the “ONE THING” needed.
AMEN.

John Theodorou, USA/Greece