Dear Martha

Everyone wants to hate on Martha, like she were doing something terribly wrong.

I hear it a lot:
"I don’t want to be Martha. I want to be Mary."
Or maybe: "Don’t be like Martha!"

Lately, I’ve been taking it a little personally. Because the more I read her story, the more I think:
"Hey, wait… Martha’s me. I’m Martha."

Let me explain.

I don’t think what Martha was doing was wrong. I think her heart was just in the wrong place.

“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 I read that, I replace Martha’s name with mine.
“Madison, Madison, don’t you know that I just want to be with you?”

Jesus isn’t scolding her. He’s not upset. He’s getting her attention. He’s gently reminding her that all the tasks—hospitality, serving, the good things—those can all be taken away. But He remains.

We can’t mistake serving Him for spending time with Him.

Martha, they could never make me hate you.

I get what it feels like to serve others and feel unappreciated. To pour yourself out and wonder if anyone sees. You thought you were doing the right thing—and honestly, so often, I think I am too.

Serving isn’t the problem. But when we lose sight of why we serve, our hearts start reaching for validation instead of offering God our worship. We begin serving from striving, not surrendering.

Martha just needed a reminder.
And honestly, so do I.

Later in her story, we see Martha exercise her faith when her brother dies. She says to Jesus, “But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (John 11:22)

Why not be like Martha?

Exercise your gifts. Lean into your calling. Embrace hospitality and servanthood. But don’t forget to be like Mary, too. Sit at His feet. Be with Him first.

Because the good we do doesn’t come from our hands. It comes from our hearts.

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