Women of the New TestamentSample

Martha, the Sister Who Confesses Who Jesus Is

Maybe you know someone like Martha. Or maybe you are a Martha. She is someone who takes charge and gets things done. Things run smoothly because of her. I love and admire the Marthas of the world!

But at times, Martha’s self-worth can be tied up in her service and performance, which may be what led her to complain about her sister Mary in Luke 10. Martha had invited Jesus and His disciples to her home but grew distracted by all the domestic preparations. Perhaps she is counting on her sister’s help so she can stay on schedule. But Mary simply sits at the feet of the teacher. Exasperated, Martha pleads with Jesus, “Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40).

But Jesus cares more about the state of Martha’s heart than whether the food is perfectly prepared or served on time. He lovingly points out that she is “worried and upset about many things” and invites Martha to see Mary in a new light (verse 41). Jesus doesn’t ask Martha to stop using her amazing gifts of hospitality, but He does want to free her from striving after society’s expectations of her. Jesus wants her to know that He is the only Savior who can meet her deepest needs.

While Martha’s response to Jesus is not recorded in the Gospel of Luke, I believe Martha takes Jesus’ words to heart because she turns to Him in her deepest time of need. After her brother Lazarus dies, she hears that Jesus is coming and goes to meet Him, saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:20-22). Then Jesus asks Martha if she believes that He is the resurrection and the life and that whoever believes in Him will live. She responds: “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is come into the world” (verse 27). Instead of being distracted by her duties, as she was before, here Martha receives Jesus’ words, focuses on who He is, and gives one of the clearest confessions of faith in the Gospels.

Then Martha goes to Mary to bring her to Jesus. She tells Mary that the Teacher is looking for her! Again, we see Martha taking initiative. This time, she wants Mary to receive comfort directly from Jesus as well. Martha makes a remarkable transformation from complaining to Jesus about things not going her way to trusting in Jesus after the loss of her loved one and helping her sister meet Jesus in her grief, too.

It is easy to judge others when they don’t serve or worship Jesus in the same way we do. Martha and Mary interact with Jesus very differently. He loves them both and meets them where they are. How can we appreciate the gifts that others bring and learn from those who may approach Jesus differently than we do?

Prayer: God, thank you for how you meet us where we are at. You also have compassion for us when we experience stress and grief. Thank you for the different gifts our brothers and sisters bring. Help us to grow in our appreciation for one another while also pointing one another to Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.