Martha's Choice

Luke 10:41-42

“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.”

These Gospel words were not spoken to Mary but to her sister Martha. Jesus was not scolding Martha but affectionately drawing her attention away from the worries of the moment to the glories of eternity. In light of the love of the eternal Christ all her troubles would evaporate.

That she received His words with faith and understood their import we can see from Saint John’s account of the death of her brother Lazarus. While Mary remained seated at home grieving, Martha ran with faith and love to meet Jesus. Finding Him she confessed her faith in His power over death, declaring that if Jesus had been there Lazarus would not have died, and in great faith saying that even now that Lazarus is dead God would grant Jesus anything He asked. These words were a plea for Jesus to raise her brother from the dead.

Jesus again spoke a personal word to Martha, a word full of affection and comfort, when He said, “Your brother will rise again.” With faith’s boldness Martha pressed Jesus for more. She reminded Jesus that she knew that Lazarus would rise on the last day; it wasn’t that resurrection for which she was asking.

Her faith received from Jesus another amazing word on that one thing needful. Jesus said to Martha, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Martha believed in Jesus and trusted this promise.

Could Jesus be any clearer? He is the one thing needful; He is the good portion which shall never be taken away. Martha received these comforting words, and that she and we would know that they were God’s own truth; Jesus raised Lazarus, her brother, from the dead.

Martha, had already made the good choice of bringing all her anxieties and troubles to Jesus. And when Jesus pointed beyond her anxieties to His own divine self, Martha, like her sister Mary chose Christ. When Jesus proclaimed that He was the Resurrection and the life, she believed and she trusted.