In last Sunday’s lectionary reading (Luke 10:38-42) we get to glimpse a friendship—that of Jesus with the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. We know from other stories in the gospels that these siblings were close friends to Jesus, and he sometimes visited them at their home in Bethany. And I think most of us can relate to having a guest come into our homes, especially an important guest. We want to run around hosting them, but we also want simply to sit and enjoy their presence. Sometimes it’s challenging to do both. In some households in first-century Palestine, the men might sit and visit while the women run around serving. But in this story in the gospel of Luke, two sisters are featured. One, Martha, races around doing all the work, and the other, Mary, listens attentively at Jesus’ feet.
But I believe the larger point of this passage isn’t about hosting. It has to do with a person’s value—where it comes from. I think the story is reminding us our value is in who we are, not what we accomplish. Our value is simply in our being, not in our doing, and in making an offering of our being.
Seeking the Relational Over the Transactional
Martha represents a focus on accomplishment, on doing. She can’t stop working long enough to listen to her friend and teacher, Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, represents an emphasis on being. She is simply there. Her quiet presence with Jesus is emphasized. Mary is doing this so well—simply being present—that her sister gets angry with her! She says to Jesus, “Why can’t she see I’m doing all of the work?!” Most of us can relate to Martha’s frustration. But Jesus commends Mary for her quiet presence. According to the story, Mary represents something critical.
We who are American live in a society intensely focused on accomplishment, on doing. In fact, American society is almost obsessed with it. So much so, that people who are unable to work hard—people like the sick and disabled, or the elderly—are treated like a nuisance instead of being honored and cared for. Indeed, the focus of the social contract in the United States is very transactional. Every relationship is viewed like a business transaction. I’ll get something from you and you’ll get something from me. People are valued based on what they can give us, instead of what God sees in them. But each of us as unique individuals endowed with uniqueness from God has value. And it has nothing to do with producing something.
Reminding One Another of Our True Value
By elevating Mary, Jesus seems to be saying something about transactional relationships. Perhaps, Martha, you don’t have to rush around and serve me in order to receive the gifts of my teaching, my friendship. They are freely given to you because I love you. A benefit of being part of a healthy faith community is reminding one another of this fact. If a faith community is doing its job, it should keep reminding us: You are beloved by God. You are valued by God. God created you and there is no one in the world just like you. Your being here and being you is enough. God can never love you more than you are already loved.
Sometimes the Mary and Martha story is interpreted this way: Mary is commended because she was doing the right thing. Martha was obsessed with doing the right thing, and Mary was obsessed with doing the right thing, and as it turns out, Mary was the one who got it right. She earned Jesus’ compliment. But I think this is a flawed interpretation. Because actually, Mary represents something we all need to remember. We cannot earn God’s love. We have it already. And we can rest in that.
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Wren, winner of a 2022 Independent Publishers Award Bronze Medal
Winner of the 2022 Independent Publisher Awards Bronze Medal for Regional Fiction; Finalist for the 2022 National Indie Excellence Awards. (2021) Paperback publication of Wren , a novel. “Insightful novel tackles questions of parenthood, marriage, and friendship with finesse and empathy … with striking descriptions of Oregon topography.” —Kirkus Reviews (2018) Audiobook publication of Wren.
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