Focus – Luke 10:38-42

A text – Luke 10:38-42                           

³⁸ Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. ³⁹ She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

A reflection:

At first when I read this familiar story this week, I felt bad for Martha, since she is doing her best to fulfill all the customs of hospitality in the Jewish culture and indeed the very customs Jesus has recently lauded in the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus says her name twice, and then tells her not to be distracted, and points to Mary as the good example. On my first reading, I felt insulted on Martha’s behalf. She was trying to fulfill expectations. Perhaps she would have longed to sit at Jesus’s feet too, but she felt she couldn’t and still be a good host.

But this is a very lean story – only five verses. Every line is important. Every implied sentiment means something. Martha gets to say two sentences to our Lord after the moment when she initially welcomed him. What two sentences does she choose to say?

“Don’t you care?” A question that implies that Jesus has his priorities askew, and then, “My sister has left me to do all the work by myself.” Complaining to her guest that Mary, like Jesus, but unlike Martha herself, has her priorities askew as well.

“Tell her, then, to help me.” No please, no request – a command to the guest to make something happen.

Jesus pretty much had to get her attention. He hadn’t come to ignite a family quarrel. “Martha.” Then again, “Martha.” She then stopped to read his face and hear his tone. He wasn’t criticizing her. He was noting how much she was trying to do so well. He was noting her multidirectional multitasking. He wanted her to slow down and focus on one thing. Just one thing. He wanted both sisters to hear his words and not to resent one another because of him. He was inviting Martha to join in the listening. He was promising that if she did that, she would gain something eternal, something she would never lose.

We are what we are. We all have our distractions. And dwelling at Jesus’s feet may even seem lazy, like getting out of chore duty. Dwelling in the Word and spending time in prayer might seem like not getting things done. But Jesus is saying this, I think: “If you do it, you will gain something eternal, something you will never lose.” Jesus is worth focusing upon.

A prayer:

Lord God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for lessons you teach. Thank you for claiming our focus. Help us to remember that, among the many good things we can focus on, your words and your love are worth every minute that we spend on them. Amen.