At the Home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10: 38 – 42)

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Reflect
In a world that never stops spinning, we live in a culture obsessed with busyness. We measure success by productivity, value our output and worth by how much we can juggle at once. It’s no wonder many of us feel like Martha – always doing, always rushing, always anxious about the next thing.
 
But then there’s Mary. Sitting. Listening. Present.
 
In Luke 10: 38 - 42, Jesus gently reminds Martha – and us – that while the hustle may seem urgent, the heart of life is found in presence. Mary chose “what is better,” not because work is bad, but because worship is essential. She prioritised connection over chaos. Being with Jesus over doing for him.
 
This isn’t a call to abandon responsibilities, but to reorder our priorities. To ask:

• What if the most radical thing we could do in our fast-paced lives is slow down?
• What is being present, truly present – with God, with ourselves, with others – is the secret to the peace we’re all chasing?

Here's the challenge: This week, carve out intentional times just to be. Not to check something off a list, but to sit, breathe, and listen. Maybe it’s five minutes in silence. Maybe it’s a walk without your phone. Maybe it’s reading Scripture without rushing to apply it. Whatever it looks like for you – choose the better part.
 
And here’s the good news: Jesus isn’t scolding Martha. He’s inviting her – and us – into a life that isn’t ruled by anxiety but anchored in love.

Let’s not just do more. Let’s be more. Start today.
 
Question

• Where in your life are you more like Martha – busy, distracted, and overwhelmed – and what might it look like to intentionally shift toward Mary’s posture of presence and stillness?
  (Challenge: Identify one habit or activity that keeps you constantly in motion and consider replacing it, even temporarily, with a moment of intentional rest or reflection.)
• What are you afraid might happen if you slow down or stop “doing”? 
  (Challenge: Be honest – does your sense of work come more from your performance than your presence? How can you begin to redefine value based on being rather than achieving?)
• How can you cultivate “Mary moments” in the middle of a “Martha world”?
  (Challenge: As a group or personally, brainstorm practical ways to create space in your daily life to simply sit at the feet of Jesus – whether in quiet time, prayer, or stillness – and commit to trying one this week.)

Act
Stop. Unplug. Be still. If Jesus walked into your home today, would he find you too busy to notice him? This week, silence the noise. Cancel something that doesn’t feed your soul. Say no to the urgent, and yes to what’s eternal. Sit at his feet – not someday, but now. The world can wait. Your soul can’t. Choose the better part.

Lord, help me to choose the better part, like Mary, sitting at Your feet and soaking in Your presence. Teach me to let go of distractions that pull my heart away from You. May my service be rooted in love, not anxiety, and always guided by Your voice. In every moment, remind me that true fulfillment comes from communion with You. Amen

Mrs Carey Twidale