Wednesday · Reflect on the Text
About 5 minutes · At the Table
Reflect on the Text: The Better Part
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.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.'
Luke 10:40-42
Notice the gentle repetition when Jesus speaks: 'Martha, Martha.' The Lord does not condemn her hospitality or hospitality itself, but he names the worry and distraction that had overtaken her heart.
Martha's frustration arose because she believed Mary was neglecting what mattered most. Yet Jesus clarified that only one thing is truly necessary, and Mary had chosen it.
The better part cannot be taken away because the word of the Lord endures. Meals will be eaten and chores will need doing again tomorrow, but the truth received at Jesus' feet remains forever.
Examining the Word
What tasks in your routine are good in themselves, but risk becoming distractions from hearing Christ?
Textual Reflection
- Reflect on Jesus' gentle address: 'Martha, Martha.'
- Consider how Jesus speaks to your own anxieties with that same gentle care.
- Identify the 'one thing' you need to keep central today.