Done With Or

“Done With Or”

Luke 10:38-42         (New Revised Standard Version)

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’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, but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Life is always throwing out situations that require us to make an “either-or” decision. Is it possible to be done with “or?” Do we always have to be bound by “either-or?”

The story of Mary and Martha is calling us to see them as complements; as “and” not “or.”

Tradition says that when a male guest entered the home, the women were to go right to work in the kitchen and the men sat around the guest, listening to his stories. The stage for the rest of the story is set when Mary decided that instead of taking her place in the kitchen she would also sit at the feet of Jesus.

There are actually numerous dueling forces at play in this situation: contemplation vs. activity, productivity vs. relationship, practices vs. presence, and duty vs. love just to name a few.

These contrasts are not meant to be seen as in conflict with one another, but as a legitimate continuum that includes them both.

Listening to Jesus and studying the Word is not opposed to serving Jesus, but rather is given priority so that the service which follows the teaching can be as fruitful as possible.

We have to learn how and what it means to serve Christ before we can call ourselves servants of Christ.

Jesus responds not by telling Martha she is doing wrong, but by saying Mary has chosen what she needs most in her life right now, and that is the best choice for her.

Notice he doesn’t tell Martha that is what she also needs to do, but that by choosing what is priority in the moment, Mary will have those moments to remember and cherish, forever.

The fact that Mary chose what she needed, and Martha went to work immediately with what she needed to do shows in that very moment, although these are contrasting and dueling forces, we can be done with the “or” and have the “and.”