Martha and Mary

Martha and Mary

“Martha welcomed Him into her house.” She was hospitable. “Martha was busy with serving Him.” She was a self-sacrificing woman, but her virtue and self-sacrifice did not bring her into fellowship with Jesus. “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”

There has possibly never been as much Christian activity as in our days. They are really busy, and in all their busyness, there is much unrest. Many of them become overworked in their labors for the Lord. They make ambitious plans that cost a lot of money, trying to draw as many people as possible into their projects. They write long articles about what they are doing, attempting to show the greatest results possible from all their activity.

When all these “Marthas” come together, they do not display any interest in a life in God, or in encouraging each other “unto love and good works,” or to “pursue sanctification,” to which the apostle exhorts us. However, they do speak about all their activities for God and talk about new ways of gathering people. Among them you can once in a while hear an expression such as “meeting technique,” which may be quite suitable in this age of technology. They also display an intense interest in arguing about doctrine.

If you don’t want to be a part of this you are branded as an egotist who thinks only of himself. Then you do nothing for God. Such leaders put many people in bondage.

“And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” They had fellowship. Mary had nothing of which to boast. She was not busy with her works, but she sensed that Jesus had something to say to her. She didn’t draw a comparison between herself and someone else; she didn’t compete against anyone. She had nothing to show off. But she was “poor in spirit,” hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and she was blessed at Jesus’ feet. Matt. 5:3-6.

Jesus refers to Mary’s state as “that good part.” It would not be taken away from her, and the mind of the Spirit is “life and peace.” Rom. 8:6. We must always see to it that we maintain that same relationship to Jesus, so that none of these “Marthas” draw us into their unrest and striving and we no longer hear what Jesus is saying to us. Most people work so much for Him that He cannot work with them.

However, Mary was not idle. “Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 12:1-3.

Presumably Martha had learned a few things since the first time. She still served as before, but there was no more unrest and accusation. Everything she did was done in peace. However, the others could not do the work which Mary had learned to do at Jesus’ feet. She anointed Jesus’ body with “very costly oil of spikenard,” and the house was filled with its fragrance. By this work everyone who was present was blessed.

A feast was made for Jesus, and Mary anointed Jesus’ body. Everyone in the house gained from it, for everything we do in Jesus’ name is a blessing for all. Col. 3:17. Mary understood this, and her deed filled the house with a wonderful aroma.

It is a question of what kind of aroma goes out from my words and deeds. It is not a blessing if I strive ever so much and sacrifice myself if my works give off the odor of dissatisfaction and accusation. And it doesn’t help if I console myself with the fact that I am doing it for God’s cause. The aroma is the decisive test.

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ.” “And who is sufficient for these things?” Knowledge shall not only be preached, it shall also exude an aroma. Martha’s exertions did not give off a pleasant fragrance, for the works become good and give off a pleasant fragrance through the fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22. Jesus said that Mary did a good work. Mark 14:6. Love causes the sacrifice to become a sweet-smelling aroma to God. Eph. 5:2. The Philippians’ gift was a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. Phil. 4:18.

Mary performed a prophetic work: “She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.” Mark 14:8.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus came and anointed Jesus’ body after He had died. John 19:38-39. They didn’t dare to be together with Him while He was alive. They were not prophets. There are many people who would like to do what they missed doing, but that is impossible. Our place has to be at Jesus’ feet if we are to act at the right moment, and we have to have peace in our hearts, so that we can hear what He has to say to us.