Sometimes only one thing is needed – and this is really good news

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10: 41-42

It’s a well-known passage. Jesus has come to the house of sisters Mary and Martha, and Martha is putting in the work to make it hospitable for him whilst getting rather annoyed that Mary isn’t sharing the load but instead just sitting at Jesus’ feet. She even goes so far as to tell Jesus to tell Mary to help her! Jesus’ famous reply is above – pointing out that not only will he not be acting as her middleman, but also that Mary is actually the one who chose well. Ouch.

I relate to Martha. I have at times even felt a bit put out on her behalf. There she was trying to do the right thing, desiring to honour Jesus by being the hostess with the mostest, and she ends up getting told off. Had she really gotten it so wrong by wanting to serve Jesus in this way? It’s slightly confusing when there are plenty of scriptures which applaud acts of service and using our gifts and resources to bless others. But of course, we don’t want to take a verse out of context. Jesus isn’t saying that this is the only thing ever needed in any situation – He was speaking to Martha in response to her situation and in reply to her demands. In that context, to honour Jesus fully looked like stopping and listening to Him – something which Mary had instinctively done.

This lesson is equally relevant to us – we too need to recognise when it is best to stop doing and to just sit as His feet. I understand how Martha had gotten her priorities wrong – it seems like a mistake I could make. I have wondered if I too would be on the receiving end of Jesus’ words of correction.

But now I hear Jesus’ words not as a frustrated telling off, but as an invitation – firm and pointed yes, but also gentle and loving. This shift in perspective came because I did hear God say it to me. It was a completely different context and situation – but I think the heart of it was the same – and it came as a relief.

We had been away for a couple of weeks visiting friends and family in my husband’s home country, El Salvador. It was a good time, with the usual mix of blessings and challenges as typically found when navigating a very different climate and culture, whilst juggling family dynamics and with all the usual routines and norms firmly out of the window. And with all this difference to manage, it is only fair to say that I did not do well at keeping my focus on Jesus – I was very distracted.

To further compound this loss of focus, I was not only moving away from some good habits like reading my Bible, but also drifting further into unhelpful ones. I was giving too much time and headspace to social media – which as per usual, was not generating calm and inner peace!

The upshot of all this was that I returned from our trip feeling all out of sorts – slightly disappointed with myself and harbouring lots of inner niggles that contributed to a lack of peace and clarity. I was even beginning to question God’s ways and heart, and was falling back into the trap of wondering what I had to do to make myself right. I was startled at how quickly it had happened – how fast we can become slightly unstuck, how quickly lies creep in and unsettle. However, I guess it’s not really that surprising as the enemy is desperate to distort our understanding of just how good He is.

This of course then hinders our returning to God because the fear and shame that have been fostered by the lies, discourage us and we can get confused about what we think He is asking, or even demanding, of us. I found myself not sure how to put it right.

In my confusion I asked Him that question – what was I to do, how could I overcome?

And then His answer came. The words He spoke to Martha popped into my head, cutting through the confusion and noise: “only one thing is needed”.

Stop, sit at His feet. Listen. Just be with Him.

I wasn’t sure what I needed to do, but He told me. He wasn’t waving a big stick at me – berating me for my lack of quiet times and failures to seek Him first. No, He just lovingly reminded me of the one thing that was needed the most in that moment.

And it wasn’t demanding or complicated – just a simple first step back.

Being with Him and sitting at His feet is about listening to Him, looking upon Him and seeing afresh who He is and what He has done – of how good He is. For me, I needed to rest in His saving grace, to see again the wonder of His patience and love – that He is for me, not against me, that He is not fed up with me but cheering me on. It is easy to forget these things – the world screams otherwise because grace is not a way of the world. Our enemy artfully sows lies, seeking to undermine our trust in His goodness, which then leads us away from our reliance upon and obedience to Him.

But with the renewed right perspective I was free to choose well, and I found myself wanting to read His Word and pursue His presence above all else – why wouldn’t I want to seek first the One who loved me so extraordinarily? Social media became much easier to resist. Perhaps for you, your image of God has been warped in a different way – let Him reveal the truth to you.

Come and be. Unforced, free, accepted, loved.

When Mary chose to sit at Jesus feet she honoured Him with her attention.

And why was the sisters’ attention so important to Jesus? He wanted them to hear what He had to say, to get to know Him and His heart better. Knowing what was ahead, I suspect He knew that they were going to need to draw upon these experiences – their relationship with and understanding of Him. I think He desires our attention so much because He knows what is best for us. In knowing Him better we grow in security, identity, peace, purpose and hope. Indeed, sometimes it is only after we have heard from Him and our soul is refreshed in Him, that we are able to serve Him well and better reflect who He is.

Listen carefully to what Jesus speaks to Martha – is there not affection in His words to her? ‘Martha, Martha’ – the repetition of her name sounds sympathetic, loving and gentle to me. She was worried and upset about many things – and was not I – are not we all at times? His gentle rebuke is not harsh but loving, encouraging Martha to receive what was better. I hope she did. I hope that both you and I will.

Indeed, I have realised that I need to do this very, very often. Perhaps you do too. It is so easy to be distracted and to start believing lies about who God is and to have our perspective of Him warped into someone or something that He is not.

Sit at His feet and learn from Him. Not from social media – or anywhere else. Learn of Him. Only one thing is needed because from that thing, the rest can flow. Come back to Him – daily if you can. Who He really is is of utmost importance – it’s the starting point for all else that we are and do.