Dinner Can Wait.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Bud Reedy read the above passage and noted that Jesus would go to the village of Bethany to “chill”—that is, to take a break and relax in the hometown of his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. In the Luke 10 account of Jesus’s visit to Bethany, we note that Martha and Mary had very different responses to His presence.

Mary chose to sit at Jesus’s feet and listen to what He was saying. Martha chose to make preparations, working around the house.

What do you do when a guest shows up?

It’s an interesting dynamic to consider. If Jesus shows up and our response is “a guest is here,” then it’s easy to fall into the pattern of what folks traditionally do when a guest shows up. There are guest towels in the bathroom, guest soap in the dispenser, special meals or special desserts that the family doesn’t experience unless a guest is present. Sometimes, we’re so busy preparing special things for the guest that we don’t even get to talk to him. We, like Martha, become entrenched in the processes of preparation.

But, if Jesus shows up and our response is “our dear friend is here,” then there is a different atmosphere! A dear friend is not present for the gourmet desserts nor the fancy teacups. A dear friend has not shown up to see what amazing culinary and home decorating skills we have. Our dear friend has stopped by to visit with us. Mary, who knew the immense value of the friendship, opted to spend her time in the company of her Lord, who was her Dear Friend.

What do you do when Jesus shows up?

Do you busy yourself with sprucing up the décor of your heart? Do you, figuratively speaking, serve the sorts of foods you think He wants to eat? Do you make yourself into something you usually aren’t… only to revert back to your old ways when His presence becomes less palpable?

Today, let’s consider the example of Mary. There was plenty of work that could have been done, but she wasn’t doing it when Jesus showed up. Instead, she sat at His feet and listened, allowing His words to do a work in her.

Jesus, Dear Friend of ours, this is Your time; we sit at Your feet and we listen; everything else can wait. Speak Your word to us. Share Your heart with us. Teach us to love as You love.