GOOD PORTION

But one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that GOOD PART, which will not be taken away from her – Luke 10:42 (NKJV)

This amazingly concise, but pungent story, gives a glimpse into an incident in the life of Jesus and two sisters who hosted Him for dinner. It seems to contrast with the preceding incident, in which a lawyer had challenged Jesus with a test question. In this story, Martha welcomed Jesus into her home. There’s a big difference between challenging someone and welcoming the person. God is indirectly posing the question to us: “Do you put Jesus to the test or you welcome Him into your life?”

In the first story, the lawyer cites the two great commandments, to love God and to love one’s neighbour, but the emphasis, through the parable of the Good Samaritan, is on love for one’s neighbour. The second story however exemplifies what it truly means to love God, as Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. The story of the Good Samaritan alone might have led us to conclude that service for God takes precedence over devotion to God. The story of Mary and Martha however illustrates that devotion to God must be the basis of all our service for Him. Devotion must undergird diligence. Worship is the true basis of work.

Interestingly, every time we encounter Mary of Bethany in the gospels, she is at Jesus’ feet: here; when her brother, Lazarus died (Jh.11:32); and, when she anointed Jesus before His death (Jh.12:3). The vital lesson we learn is that the Word is the main priority that we need to hold on to in the midst of our busy schedules! The word provides the Wisdom of God required for all of life’s decisions and direction (2Tim.3:15-17). The word initiates and sustains the communion of the human spirit with the Living Word, as it was with the two men on the Emmaus Road (Lk.24:32).

The word puts all of life’s challenges and pressures in proper perspective. Martha was stressed out by the pressure of preparing the meal for her Great Guest. She probably had worried about it for days since she heard that He was coming. She wanted everything to be right for the occasion. Focusing on these pressures, she ended up anxious and worried about many things. She even uttered an accusation against her Lord and her sister, thus violating the two great commandments! If she had just taken the time to join her sister at Jesus’ feet, all of these pressures would have fallen into proper perspective.

It is so easy to allow life’s pressures to crowd in on us and get our focus in the wrong direction. A brief but consistent period spent in the Word and prayer can lift burdens and give a calm, clear perspective, however adverse the circumstances may be. The main message of our short meditation passage is that: sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His Word is the Number One Priority in life. Nothing measures closer to this in value. The Word is the Good Part, which cannot be taken from you!