Tending to our ‘Mary’ side

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’ -Luke 10:38-42

Read the passage above once again. And ponder: In your faith walk are you more of a Martha or a Mary? That is, someone who expresses faith primarily by doing (like Martha) or primarily by learning and devotion (like Mary)? As stewards of our spiritual lives (with the guidance of God, of course), it’s worth taking a look.

Both women present honorable models for following Jesus. And if truth be told, each of us needs a balance of “Martha” and “Mary” in our faith walk. They go together very well.

In the Bible passage above, the problem arises because Martha is totally overwhelmed by her to-do list. All of her doing has left her no time or energy for devotion and learning — exactly what is occupying Mary.

And I totally get that. In my experience, it’s much easier for me to be a “Martha” than a “Mary.” Why? Because doing feels good. Doing is concrete and provides me an immediate emotional reward. I feel productive and worthy. My ego can proclaim, “I am certainly doing the Lord’s work, and I am proud and happy to do it.” Have you felt that way?

By contrast, being a “Mary” rarely provides the same kind of boost. When I spend 30 minutes in devotion – say, reading my Bible, listening to a Tim Keller podcast or reading a book by Richard Rohr – it’s often not as immediately gratifying as doing something in the name of the Lord. Study is laborious, often boring, and generally slower to bring insights. But it’s necessary for healthy discipleship.

When Martha complains to Jesus that she is overwhelmed with all she is doing, Jesus gently points out the truth: As worthwhile as the things on her to-do list may be, they are counter-productive to her spiritual growth. They are a source of worry and are distracting Martha from “the better part” of following Jesus – through devotion and learning.

How is the balance between your “Martha” side and your “Mary” side? Does your inner Mary need more attention and intentionality? Here are some ways I try to pay attention to my balance:

Devotions: I read and meditate on the daily devotions from Fr. Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation. They’re free, and I get them delivered to my email inbox every day (sign up at cac.org). My sister recommends the daily devotions from Max Lucado. There are many others out there.

Daily Bible reading: On my smartphone I downloaded the free Gateway Bible app. It has a feature that makes it easy for me to read the Bible in one year, and there are lots of other options and plans to choose from.

Listening to podcasts: When I’m driving or just puttering around the house, I’ll often listen to a podcast sermon from the late Rev. Timothy Keller. The lead pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Keller was a master in his teaching and preaching. The organization he founded, Gospel In Life, offers a daily podcast by Keller (gospelinlife.com).

Reading good books: Yes, for fun I love to read detective novels by Michael Connelly, Nelson DeMille or Tess Gerritsen, but I work at making sure I balance pleasure reading with reading to enrich my soul. Last week I offered suggestions of “Spiritual Beach Reading. ”These are the things I do to make sure that my Martha side does not crowd out my Mary side. How is your balance?