Women: Are you a Mary or a Martha?
Is there an important difference we need to note? There surely is! What is it? That’s the subject of this article.
As you’ll hear from me often, there’s nothing more important in your life than your acceptance of the Word of God as the chief authority in your life. More than anything else the unbeliever needs the message of the gospel so he can someday end up in Heaven. For that to happen he must accept by faith the provision God has made for his salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:19-21
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
To be fully reconciled to God one must put his faith solely in the work of Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It is in this manner that we are saved from the condemnation of God.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
On the other hand, the believer, the one who has accepted this gospel message, needs the training of the Word of God so that he can grow up spiritually. As with consuming food, he needs a daily diet of nourishing foods if he’s to grow strong and healthy.
Matthew 4:4
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. [Emphasis added]
Apart from this nourishment he will be weak and vulnerable to sin. Such was the case with the church people the apostle Paul dealt with in the city of Corinth.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? [Emphasis added]
Only faithful intake and application of the Word of God prevents this from happening. There are many examples in the Bible of people who didn’t believe this.
1 Corinthians 10:11-13
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
It is through the application of God’s Word that He will sustain anyone. But first you must take the initiative to learn it.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you [as a faithful believer] to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [Emphasis added]
We have a wonderful example of all this in our passage about Mary and Martha. Let’s look at it.
Luke 10:38-42
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him [Jesus Christ] into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Please note that last little phrase. Mary understands! She realizes the value of His teaching. Therefore, she works to focus on the things He’s saying. But notice what we see next in this passage.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Martha is focused on serving a meal she’s prepared. Food is certainly important, but not nearly as important as one’s consumption of God’s Word. Mary is not lazy! She just has her priorities straight. Then notice our Lord’s gentle but firm rebuke of Martha.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful [MEROMNA = worried] and troubled [THURBAZO = troubled] about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. [Emphasis added]
Knowledge of the Word of God has permanent value. We are truly defined by our decisions. Mary has chosen God’s Word as the main priority of life. We all make such a decision. If something is important to us, we pursue it with enthusiasm. If it’s not, we’ll find a reason or an excuse to avoid it and to do something else with our time. What are you doing with your time? Is it all consumed by the material and temporal things of life? Are you faithful to devote time every day to some study of God’s Word. The command about this is clear.
2 Timothy 2:15
15 Study [SPOUDAZO = be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [Emphasis added]
Do you understand the meaning of that last phrase? It is essential to your spiritual progress. All the Bible is for our learning, but it is not all TO us or ABOUT us.
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. [Emphasis added]
If you don’t learn to sort these things out, you’ll be quite confused. Many things in the Bible will seem contradictory because in a sense they are. Many things God commanded the people of Israel do not relate to us today. Your focus needs to be on the thirteen Pauline epistles. And even there you’ll find a few things that relate only to the transitional period leading into our time today.
On our website you’ll find some articles that relate to all this. I hope you’ll take the time to read and study them. Here are their names.
Bible: How should one study it?
Bible: Where should a person begin studying?
God: How does He “speak” to people today?
Paul: What’s so special about his teaching?
Devoting some time every day in God’s Word will make a huge difference in your life. There’s a lot to learn but as it has been rightly said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Don’t put off what you need to begin doing today. You’ll never regret the time you invest in the learning of God’s Word.
