334 SE Tecumseh Road  P.O. Box 5  Tecumseh, Kansas 66542  (785) 379-5005  Fax - (785) 379-5061

Contact Us: | E-mail | Map & Directions

Would you tell her to give me a hand – please? Luke 10:38-42  Martha was absolutely beside herself. She’d already been fretting for several days. She went over her shopping list numerous times. She went on a cleaning frenzy (I know about such frenzies – just ask Dottie!), turning the whole house upside down. Her sister Mary always seemed to be in the way, and was never able to read Martha’s mind as to how she might be of some help. Instead, Martha just kept throwing nasty sisterly glares at Mary, and would grumble to herself, making sure that Mary could tell that she was displeased – but then not telling her what the displeasure was all about. Martha was a list maker – a list for food, a list for things to get done before the big day, a list of things Mary might be able to do (but of course she never gave that list to Mary), a list for things to do once the big event was over. Martha couldn’t sleep well for days – she would run over those lists in her head, over, and over, and over again: sweep patio, press napkins, get water jugs filled, make kosher foods, and on, and on, and on.  The big day arrives. Jesus arrives in town, and Martha greets him at the entrance to their home. She’s about to burst with excitement. Jesus (and probably some of the disciples) are made to feel at home, and Martha is off and running! Get the water for washing the feet, get the table set, get the food ready, run, run, run. In the meantime, Mary (who has no clue just how things are supposed to be arranged, for Martha never shared any of this) calmly sits next to Jesus, and intently listens to him and to the wonderful things he has to say. Running through from one room to another, Martha catches sight of Mary, just sitting there next to Jesus, doing nothing!! She just can’t stand it, and she barges over to Jesus and blurts out: Lord, does it matter to you at all that this lazy sister of mine does nothing, while I run all over the place being a good hostess? If you don’t mind, Lord, would you please ask my “dear sister” (words are dripping with sarcasm)  to lend a hand?? Would you, please? Unfortunately for Martha, Jesus does not do what she asked or expected of him. Very calmly, gently, diplomatically, Jesus says to Martha: Martha, my dear friend, you’re a wonderful hostess, and I appreciate all that you do. You worry about all the things which you think are needed to provide for me as your guest. But Mary is not driven by that, for instead she realizes that there just may be more important things about this time we have together. There really are, Martha. What Mary is doing is so important, it’s most important. So Martha, my beloved friend, relax a little, let go of some of the ‘stuff’ that drives you.  In all probability, Martha was not pleased with Jesus’ response. Perhaps – perhaps, after Jesus had left her home, Martha was able to reflect upon the whole course of events, and perhaps she then came to an understanding of the choice Mary had made, and the loving words Jesus had spoken in response to Martha’s frustration. I know a lot about getting tangled up in the details, and perhaps missing the greater thing in my busy-ness. Perhaps you do too? - Pastor Piet – July 22, 2007