But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
When you’re worried about something, what’s the first thing you do to cope? What we choose to do in crisis usually reveals our deepest desires. Venting to someone, going away, numbing the pain through substances, or for Martha, “anxious and troubled about many things,” distracting herself by serving in her kitchen can only help us so much. Any act apart from Christ does not directly address what’s hurting our hearts.
Whether you’re anxious about work or school, how to pay the bills, how to give that speech, whether to date that guy or girl, how to discipline your kids, or how to forgive someone who’s wronged you, Jesus himself says, “One thing is necessary” (10:42). What is that one thing?
Jesus elaborates, stating that “Mary has chosen the good portion.” Mary has chosen Christ, the way the psalmist and Levites in the Old Testament have chosen the Lord as their inheritance and portion (Ps. 16:5, 142:5; Num. 18:20). She sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching. Jesus repeatedly tells us to not be anxious (Mt. 6:25-27; Lk. 12:11, 12:22). Money, status, worldly accomplishments, reputation, or whatever Martha was cooking in her kitchen aren’t necessary. They’ll eventually disappear. Only one thing is necessary—Jesus. Jesus will never be taken away from us (Lk. 10:42; Rom. 8:38). Everything else will follow (Mt. 6:33-34).
How does this practically apply to us? When we’re anxious, we can either keep to ourselves, distracting ourselves with work apart from Christ like Martha did. Our other choice is Mary’s, listening to His teachings, anytime, anywhere, when we’re alone and when we’re with our church family. We can come to Him with confidence because he empathizes with us (Heb. 4:14-16). Are you a Martha or a Mary?
May we seek the Lord first, repenting of our sin of worrying and not trusting God, laying every anxiety onto Him. Let us pray that God, through the Holy Spirit would wipe away every tear from our eyes, that He would comfort us from mourning, crying, and pain (Rev. 21:4). May we live out Paul’s call to the Philippian church: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).