Gò0dNews for Everyone
Pandemic Life: Becoming A Mary
N
by Candyce Carden Deal
o doubt you’re familiar with the story of Martha
The story of Martha and Mary teaches us it’s better to
and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). Martha and Mary
give our full attention to Jesus. When we enter the presence
opened their home to Jesus as He traveled through
of God through Bible study or prayer, ideally, our awareness
town with His disciples. The story contrasts the responses of
is concentrated on Him. We don’t think about checklists. We
the sisters. While Martha labored diligently to prepare and
don’t let our calendar distract us or our email derail us. We
serve a meal, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His
sit at His feet, listening to His words.
every word. Martha grew angry because Mary wasn’t helping. Frustrated, she turned to Jesus and asked if He cared that she had to fix the meal alone. She urged Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Instead of following Martha’s suggestion, Jesus gently rebuked her: “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42). Although I longed to be a Mary, I was a Martha. I used to justify my response by telling myself, “It’s a Martha world.” But now, because
That’s good news for the Marthas of the world. It
of lessons learned through the Covid-19 pandemic, I’m
doesn’t mean we stop serving but that we simplify. We stop
becoming a Mary.
being a martyr to our busyness. We evaluate what must be
Let’s return to the story. It’s important that the Marthas of the world recognize something in this passage. Jesus didn’t reproach Martha for her service but rather for being “worried and upset about many things.” Serving is a principle of Christianity. The problem occurs when serving distracts us from its purpose, which
done and let the rest go. We find joy in our service to Him as we focus on His presence. The words Jesus spoke to His disciples ring true today: “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). These days of pandemic isolation have gifted us with the
is to love others. If serving becomes a never-ending to-do
time to gather strength from the only One who can provide
list, our eyes are not on Jesus. Our eyes are on what WE are
it, to become more aware of the Spirit within. We can linger
doing: and sometimes, as in the case of Mary, on what those
in His presence, just like Mary, soaking in His every word.
around us are not doing.
It’s a lesson I vow never to forget.
that had to be made,” wasn’t in the moment. She wasn’t cherishing her time with Jesus.
20 // January 2021
About The Author
And Martha, being “distracted by all the preparations Candyce Carden Deal—a lifelong teacher—is from Dalton, GA and a member of First Baptist Church. She blogs at CandyceCarden.com.
