Mary and Martha are sisters, apparently unmarried. They live with their brother Lazarus. This is before Jesus raised Lazarus back to life.

The story begins with Martha welcoming Jesus and his disciples into HER house. That’s what the Scripture says. Was it her house? She is the matriarch and she is inviting them in. She’s the hostess and opens her home.

She then sets to work as a hostess does. She works to prepare a meal. It would be normal and expected for a meal to be prepared and served.

Jesus is talking to those present and Mary, presumably the younger sister, is sitting at His feet. That’s the posture of a disciple. She’s studying “at His feet.” That’s how Paul describes himself having learned from Gamaliel, he was “at his feet” (Acts 22:3).

Martha is not just serving, though. She’s stewing. She’s “distracted.” She’s not listening to Jesus as she works. She’s mad. Personally, I think she’s mad because she wants to be there listening too, but she can’t. She doesn’t think she can.

She accuses Love of not caring and says, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

She doesn’t get a harsh rebuke. Jesus points out her troubled, anxious heart. He tells her one thing is necessary. He’s not going to take the good portion away from Mary.

We get a revisit of this scene in John 12, after Lazarus is raised from the dead. Mary is back at Jesus’ feet and Martha is again serving.

It wasn’t that Martha wasn’t to serve. It was her troubled and anxious heart that was the problem. It was turning her thoughts away from Jesus.

When the scene is revisited, there is no fussing or stewing. She served. That was her role. Mary had a different role.

That said, we all need to remember that God wants love not sacrifice. He doesn’t want our busy serving. He wants us still and quiet before Him, and a still and quiet heart as we serve.