Mary and Martha: The Wisdom to Discern Timing

Luke 10:38–42

We can do all the right things at the wrong time. The story of Mary and Martha is one of those familiar passages in Scripture that often gets oversimplified. We hear that Martha was so busy while Mary took time with Jesus, and people have the tendency to paint Martha as this distracted person who could not make time for the Lord. It is easy to see her in the wrong. However, so many people fail to realize how much like Martha most of us actually are. The biggest issue with Martha was not that she was busy, but that she could not discern the moment she was in. Mary, on the other hand, did.

Distracted by What's Right

During the time that this story took place, it was customary and honorable to prepare the home and serve the guests who visited. Martha was busy, but she was busy doing what was expected of her within the culture in which she lived. Let's put it in perspective for a moment. If you were having guests over for the evening, most people would tidy up the house, cook a meal or order takeout, and if it's a game night, you would prepare and set up the games for your friends and guests. It is customary to provide the entertainment and hospitality when you have people in your home.

So while Martha was distracted, she was actually distracted doing the things that were seen as right and expected within the culture at the time. That is why she felt so free to complain to Jesus about Mary not assisting her, because culturally, Martha was in the right and Mary was in the wrong.

Then you have Mary, who understood culture and understood traditions and understood what was expected of her. However, Mary also understood timing. In the moment that expectation and opportunity were in conflict, Mary discerned that traditions and expectations would always be there, but that she was in the midst of an opportunity that would not last. Mary discerned the moment and chose to sit at the feet of Jesus. That is why Jesus told Martha, "Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken from her." In other words, your traditions will be with you, but in this moment, Mary has chosen the most important, rare, fragile, sentimental moment. She discerned the time and understood that the Lord would not dwell in flesh forever, and it was to her advantage to learn what she could while she could.

Timing Over Tradition

It is safe to say that Martha chose tradition, but Mary chose divine timing. This was a kairos moment for Martha and Mary, and Mary discerned it well. Sometimes the right choice is about making the wiser decision. This is where so many people get hung up within their assignments and ministries, doing all of the right things and all of the customary things during the wrong time. They become frustrated, like Martha, wondering why God does not seem to be in a rush to advance them within their situations. It could be that they have not properly discerned the time. Perhaps this is a season where they are working because work seems productive, and making moves because it seems productive, when it is really a season where they should be sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Remember, Martha was right according to customs and traditions, but she lacked the discernment to know when it was more fitting to let the customs and traditions go for a moment just to take advantage of the limited time she had to sit at the feet of Jesus.