Mary or Martha?

Jesus had come for a visit
And He had much to say
Mary sat down at His feet to listen
Martha continued on her way.

Martha wasn’t interested in stopping
Serving is what she wanted to do
She was upset with Mary for sitting
All these things Jesus knew.

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet
Wanting to learn all she could
She held each word in her heart
As Jesus knew that she would.

Martha complained to Jesus
Expecting Him to be on her side
He did not scold Mary
But it was Martha He did chide.

“Mary has chosen the right thing
She has chosen the good part
What she is doing can’t be taken away”
Jesus spoke these words from His heart.

Jesus was there to visit both
His words He wanted to tell
And He wanted Martha to understand
She did her job very well.

But all of her attention Jesus wanted
He wanted nothing else to interfere
He wanted Martha at His feet with Mary
He wanted them both to hear.

While reading this story in the Bible
I saw too much of Martha in me
I scurry around doing this and that
And wasting time in many ways, you see.

I chastise myself often
For not spending more time at Jesus’ feet
For not opening His Word
For not making my life in Him more complete.

There is, of course, Mary in me, too
But I want there to be much more
I want to sit often at Jesus’ feet
So into my heart His words He’ll pour.

I’ve asked God to give me a good balance
I have asked Him to give me the proper mix
I don’t want to neglect Him anytime
And I know these things He can fix.

Are you a Mary or a Martha?
It shouldn’t take much time to decide
Do you spend all your time working
And seldom take time with God to abide?

Search your heart today
Just as I searched mine, too
Ask God to do the dividing
A lot of Mary and less of Martha will do.