Between Faith and Works
I have always found the story of Mary and Martha to be one of the most amusing stories in the New Testament. I probably have always had more questions about it than answers.
I can relate to Martha since I do enjoy cooking and entertaining, and I, also, would be resentful if I was doing all the work and missing the party. I can relate to Mary, because she clearly was a person with a very questioning mind, anxious to share the wisdom of Jesus. I particularly respect Mary for not giving into the customary treatment of women in her culture. As I understand it, if she had been dealing with any other male than Jesus, she would have been sent away to work in the kitchen rather than participating in the discussion. She clearly had the courage and intellect not to be excluded, and I believe that Jesus’s respect for that is largely the reason that he took Mary’s side against Martha.
Prayer: I would pray that I might have the wisdom to avoid judging a person’s skills and intellect based on gender or any other aspect of their role in our society. Amen
Don Hitchcock