Mary and Martha: Serving Christ in Different Ways

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Mary and Martha were sisters, but most importantly they were known for being followers of Christ and the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. The story of these two women can be found in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 10:38-42, and John 11:17-45 and 12:1-11. Although Mary and Martha were sisters, they were both different in their ways of thinking. Even though both sisters were believers in Christ, one sister was focused more on tangible things in life, while the other lived for things that were eternal.

When we are first introduced to Mary, she is known as a woman who anointed Jesus with perfume and was shunned by the disciples for it. Jesus defended Mary and said that she was preparing His body for burial and that she would always be remembered for this act. It wasn’t until she was referenced again in the other gospels that we find out that her name is Mary and the perfume from her alabaster box was worth a great deal of money. We also later find out that Mary is the sister of Martha and Lazarus. When Mary’s act made sense to no one else, she did it anyway, showing courage and great faith in the Savior.

Martha is introduced when the scriptures tell of Jesus’ stay at her home. Martha was known as a meticulous home maker. Her priorities were to entertain her guest, the Savior himself, and instead of focusing on His visit, she was focused on preparation for His visit. Martha’s sister, Mary, is in this story as well. However, where the two differ is that Mary focused solely on the teachings of Jesus. She listened intently, which angered her sister, who believed that Mary should be assisting her in house work. When Martha addressed her concerns with Jesus, He told her that Mary had chosen the better option and that what she sought will not be taken from her. Martha had an issue with realizing which priorities came first in life. Thankfully, Jesus showed her what held true value.

When Mary and Martha are mentioned again, it was when their brother, Lazarus, was on his death bed and they sent for Jesus, wanting Him to heal their brother. When He finally arrived, at that point, Lazarus was physically dead and Martha and Mary had the same response. If the Lord had been there, their brother would not have died. Once again where the two sisters differ, is when Martha doubted the words of the Lord and Mary fell to His feet. Martha had faith in the Lord. However, she was concerned with details whereas her sister was concerned with His very presence. Jesus did raise Lazarus from the dead so that God could receive all the glory for this miracle.

The significance of Mary and Martha’s story is a great one. It is a constant reminder to seek God and His kingdom first and let everything else fall into place. Martha and Mary were considered friends of Jesus, people that He loved and had an opportunity few others could speak of. Their story went down into history, from Mary anointing Jesus, to Jesus’ visit at Martha’s home. These women were truly faithful to the Savior. But Martha’s story serves as a cautionary tale. It is important to be busy with building the Kingdom of the Lord. However, it should never overshadow Him. Mary’s story is one of encouragement, to be bold and earnestly seek Him, whether you are understood or not. In the end, His approval of your actions should be all that you seek. What Mary sought could never be taken away from her, and that the faith they both had in Jesus, as their Savior, inspired a miracle.