Martha’s Concerns
Many women are prone to suffer guilt. No wrong has been done, no kindness refused, nothing forgotten or neglected, but the feeling of guilt is there. It is a heartless driver. It will not allow a rest and will steal the joy in working hard by whispering ‘but you haven’t finished everything yet’. Guilt does not allow any satisfaction or peace. It only knows how to murmur and complain.
The woman who works to make a home, care for a family, to help and organise, to take on responsibilities, can become oppressed by guilt’s nagging reminder that her work is never done. No sooner is one thing finished than another is ready to be done. Guilt whispers, ‘you can’t say no’, so she does more and more and becomes trapped by too many commitments.
Martha was snowed under with chores the day Jesus came to visit her family. Mary sat at the feet of her Lord, breathing in His presence, hanging on His Words, while Martha begrudgingly worked alone in her kitchen to provide the expected hospitality.
Martha was blind. Focusing on carnal needs, she was unable to see the spiritual. She didn’t notice the excited flush on Mary’s cheeks as she listened to her Lord, the one in whom there was life and truth. Did Martha look into Jesus’ eyes as she complained to him? Didn’t she see the love of the Son of God as he gently opened the scriptures for her sister? What drove Martha to put mundane chores before Jesus? How could she walk past Eternity sitting in her house and choose instead to serve dinner?
Today, Martha was too busy to open her Bible. Exhausted from the day’s work, she picked up some take-away on the way home and had an early night. Tomorrow’s a big day in the office, so she needed her rest.