One thing that we know Martha did very well was offer hospitality. How many of us could handle a dozen people showing up unannounced for dinner and a sleep over? I know that I would worry about having enough food, places to sit and if my home was ready for company. But hospitality isn’t about cloth napkins folded just right or every speck of dust being swept clean. It’s about making your guests feel welcome and extending grace and love to all who enter. You can be just as hospitable serving a bologna sandwich as you can a gourmet meal. It all about your heart. Remember the words that Jesus…

The story of Mary and Martha shows us two women whom Jesus loved dearly. Both women have characteristics that we should seek to incorporate in our own lives; devotion to God and service to others. The lesson that Jesus was teaching by sharing this story in His word, is to develop a Holy Balance. He desires the devoted worship of Mary and the loving service of Martha in our lives. Both are needed to truly love and serve as Jesus did. To make this happen we need to first sit at His feet while He fills us up and then go out in the world and perform acts of loving…

Have you ever found yourself enjoying the weekend and then about mid day on Sunday you begin to think about the week ahead and the tasks that you need to perform? Those thoughts instantly bring an end to your blissful weekend. You no longer are living in the moment and your mind has moved forward at warp speed to begin processing the next day and week. I call this Sunday Syndrome. I can’t imagine how many moments I’ve missed because of Sunday Syndrome. Worry and anxiousness rob me of precious hours of peace and rest. This is the very thing that Jesus was speaking about when He said, “But seek…

One thing about Martha was her boldness. There are two recorded instances in the bible where she had no problem venting her frustrations to Jesus. Apparently she was very comfortable with Him and knew that despite her instant reactions, He loved her. She was comfortable telling Jesus her frustrations with others as she did concerning Mary. Jesus responded by lovingly telling her what really mattered. Next she comfortable telling Jesus about her pain and sorrows when she confronted Him about Lazarus dying. Jesus again in a loving manner with tears in His eyes, encouraged her and reminded her of the resurrection. Mary was also comfortable with Jesus as she sat…

There is always too much to do! In our hurried and frenzied world we run around preparing, cooking, cleaning and so many other things that we can’t even imagine what it would be like to sit down and enjoy the company of others. Serving others and meeting their needs is a great thing, but so is taking a break to refocus and recognize what’s really important. Martha was basically accusing Mary of being lazy, but the truth was that Mary was focusing on being in the presence of God. God gives us abilities and talents and wants us to be productive, but not at the expense of time to rest…

Whether you are a to do list type of person or a fly by the seat of your pants personality, at some point we all have schedules to deal with. Schedules for work, school, church, exercise, doctor’s appointments and so much more. Scheduling is where priorities come together on paper or electronically if that’s your thing and trying to figure out how to fit it all in can be exhausting. That’s where we can learn from Martha’s example. When she was frustrated she took it to Jesus. When she was hurt and overwhelmed, she took it to Jesus. Whatever you’re facing, no matter how big or small, you can always…

You’ve heard it said that there is a time and place for everything. When Jesus was speaking with Martha about choosing the ONE thing that was important, He was demonstrating that very truth. Each of us are uniquely made with different gifts and talents to use for God’s purposes in our lives. Some have the gift of hopsitality, some teaching, some cooking and others organization. Whatever your giftings are, they are important and are given to you by God. But regardless of what our giftings are or the positions that we fill with our talents, we need to remember that God should always be our first priority and always make…

In the first story of Martha in the Bible, Martha is comparing herself to her sister Mary. She is doing all the work and her sister is lounging about and Martha is frustrated with the unfairness of it all. As women, we tend to do this a lot. We compare ourselves to the other ladies at church, in our jobs and in the check out lines at the grocery store. We use others as a measuring stick for our own self worth. When we look at others and feel like they have it all and we are stuck with the short end of the stick……resentment starts to build. “Why does…

The name Martha is translated, in Hebrew, as lady boss, mistress or land lady and it kind of helps me get a mental picture of her. She was a woman who was in charge and making things happen. A woman focused on her to do list and didn’t appreciate what she perceived as laziness or dilly dallying. Martha wanted recognition for her good deeds and her hard work. She wanted Jesus to brag on her and praise her for her cooking and preparing the meal. Can you relate to her? I’m sure we’ve all at some time or other, wanted someone to notice our hard work and maybe even give…