Sisters, sisters—there were never such devoted sisters.…. remember White Christmas—Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen—the Haney sisters…..
Many of you know that I have a twin sister and that was one of the songs my mother used to make us sing in talent shows, cute, huh?—well, let me tell you—having a sister is enough, but having a twin sister truly makes me an expert on sisterly bickering. My late mother used to say we quit liking each other before we were two—what I think really happened is that we began to discover just how different we really were and we struck out on our own (yes, even at two) to prove just how different we were. Now apparently, Mary and Martha weren’t twins, but it appears they suffered from some of the same “we’re different” arguments that my sister and I did. If you have siblings, brothers or sisters, you can identify with wanting to be your own person and probably getting on your siblings’ last nerve while you were doing it. So here may well be where the story picks up…
Jesus, has gone a little farther in his journey than he was last week when the annoying attorney stopped him, asked him picky questions and was then treated to one of the most famous parables of all—“The Good Samaritan”. Note with interest—that Luke tells the story of Mary and Martha immediately after our parable from last week—an interesting balance between doing and being—but I get ahead of myself. This sisterly squabble goes far beyond a simple disagreement. Jesus, in his firm, yet loving rebuke of Martha sets us to thinking about priorities and balance. And this, in fact, IS the point of the story. Priorities and choices and balance—a struggle for most of us, an impossibility for some.
Those of us who grew up in the south probably knew many “Marthas”. Southern hospitality as it used to be defined required that the hostess never really sit down—or if they did, it should be on the edge of their seats so that they can rush to fill the sweet tea glasses or replenish the gravy before anyone even notices that the bowl is empty. It has been said that one of the great mysteries of the South (capital ‘s’) is figuring out when those awe-inspiring hostesses actually ate. The problem is they never really got the chance to experience their guests. When I moved north (and I’m a strange mixture of Midwest hominess and southern hospitality) I was amazed at the different approach—food was prepared ahead of time or catered, and the proper host or hostess focused on the actual conversations and social needs of their guests—taking the time to actually get to know them. If the ice melted in the glass, it just did, there was always time to freshen the drink at the end of someone’s story—not in the midst of it.
These two kinds of hosts are epitomized in our story today, but what exactly is Jesus saying to poor, harried Martha—stressed to the max and frustrated as can be at her sister for refusing to help. Mary sits quietly at the Teacher’s feet with the others longing to know all that Jesus has to teach. You can envision the scene—remembering that houses weren’t very big in Jesus’ day. The clanging of pots and pans—Martha’s not so subtle attempt to get Mary’s attention, fails to have the desired effect. Finally, Martha can’t take it anymore and stomps to the corner of the room where Jesus is speaking softly with Mary and all those who would listen. Finally, Martha interrupts the entire scene demanding to know why Jesus does not make Mary do the “right thing”.
Jesus, surprises some of us, particularly in light of our parable of last week which focused on doing the right thing every time. Instead of saying, “Oh, you are right, Martha—run along Mary and help your sister”, he seemingly reproaches Martha: Can’t you just hear Him? “Martha, Martha, you are scattered, frustrated and worried about all the things you think are important—but really they are not—Mary is focused on what is really important—what will never be taken from her.” Can you put yourself in Martha’s place about now—even Jesus didn’t take her seriously. And Mary wins again…we don’t have the opportunity to see what happens between these sisters after Jesus leaves—whether or not Martha truly gets what Jesus is saying or whether that’s a feud that lasts for weeks…as curious as we may be, it’s not important. Jesus is really talking about priorities and choices—not an easy subject on which to preach—at least not if the preacher has any intention of staying honest.
What, then, does Jesus’ apparent rebuke of Martha mean for us today in a world where busyness is worn as some sort of badge of celebrity and we feel honored when even our good friends find time for us in their busy schedules. John Jewell, a bishop in the 16th Century says this: It is important to note that this is not about who is better, smarter or more committed. It is about recognizing that which is truly urgent in the midst of living when "many things" seek the status of urgency. Another one of my favorite quotes is from the reformer Martin Luther. He says: "I have so much to do today, I'd better spend an extra hour in prayer." His priorities are clear—he understands that if he is going to accomplish all that he has laid out in front of him to do, he better start his day in the presence of the One who is the source of all our strength and courage.
And so, in the end, I don’t think that Jesus is scolding Martha—I believe that He is lovingly inviting her to make a choice that will bless her more than having the perfectly laid meal. He is inviting her and us to balance her busy-ness with her inner need for nourishment from hearing His words—to stop, if only for a moment, and listen to see if God is speaking.
There is an old story, and I admit that I could not find the source of the story, but it’s a good one and fits here. Long before electricity was widespread or when it was too expensive to be used when other methods sufficed, people in the northern climates used ice houses to preserve their food. Ice houses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, ice was cut from the frozen lakes and rivers and hauled to these ice houses. Covered with sawdust, some of these blocks of ice would stay frozen well into summer. One man, working in the ice house, lost a valuable watch that was very precious to him. He searched and his friends searched—no one could find it. A young boy who heard about the missing watch slipped into the ice house during the noon break and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. "I closed the door," the boy replied, "lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking." One wonders how often we keep still enough to hear God’s voice ticking in the quiet.
But there is good news for all of us in this story and this is it: Jesus, the real host in this story, invites us all to sit and partake of what is important—what is life-giving and life-sustaining. Putting things in the right order, if you will. Partaking of what nourishes us at the banquet table prepared for us by God will enable us to go out into the world, refilled, refueled and refreshed. And herein, lies the balance that we so badly need. It takes courage to say “no” to constant activity: particularly if you are not comfortable with only the sound of your own breath. For in that quiet God can speak and, in fact, does!
And herein lies the work of God’s church—universal and this church—church becomes the place of quiet and the place of doing—but it is up to us to explore how God wants to use us in balance. My favorite tool is not a fancy power tool—it is a level—I love getting that bubble perfectly lined up so that I know the picture or wall or shelf or whatever is perfectly level—in balance. God’s word is the level in our lives when we allow ourselves the freedom to tip this way and that until the bubble stays right in the middle—the level absolutely balanced. God calls us to a life of balance, for from balance comes health, and peace, and hope. May this church model for all the world what it means to find balance and blessing! Amen and amen.
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