DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, SIT THERE!
Rev. Dr. Dennis Winkleblack
Prospect United Methodist Church
Bristol, Connecticut
July 25, 2010
Luke 10: 38-42
Poor Martha. She was only doing her duty. She and her sister, Mary, had invited the beloved rabbi, Jesus to their home for a meal. Poor Martha. Having to listen to Jesus praise her lazy sister Mary. And then on top of it to be scolded by him. And for what? For preparing a meal?
How unfair. Let me tell you if you invite me to your home for a meal and even if you’re flattering me by pretending to listen to my pearls of wisdom, after a while I’m going to be a bit worried about who’s fixing dinner? And, if there is someone in the kitchen, as I get hungrier and hungrier I’m going to find myself much more attracted to the one in the kitchen then to the one asking me all the questions. If I were telling this story, Martha would get top billing. But not with Jesus. Jesus commends Mary.
The Gospel writer Luke is actually completing a picture he began drawing in the scripture that precedes this: the parable of the Good Samaritan which I preached on two weeks ago. In fact, you really can’t understand the point of either account without considering the point of both which are in answer to the question posed to Jesus by the lawyer: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
You’ll remember how the lawyer answered when Jesus asked him what the law said: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” And, you’ll remember, how we said the thrust of the parable of the Good Samaritan was not to talk about loving neighbor, not to preach about loving one’s neighbor, but to just “do it.” To do love, not just talk about it.
Accordingly, in this account of Martha and Mary that immediately follows the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is presenting another side of loving God with all one’s self. Jesus is saying we also show our love for God by being a student. Which is how we love God with all our mind. Together these two parables – today’s and that of the Good Samaritan which precedes it – make for a model disciple.
Meanwhile, poor Martha! Her request for help from Martha was not unreasonable. No doubt, Mary must have usually been reliable. If Mary hadn’t usually been helpful in the kitchen, it’s unlikely Martha would have made a big deal out of it. But today Mary doesn’t want to help. She’s transfixed by Jesus. So there she sits.
Likely Martha dropped a few hints, banged a few pans together, offered a few ahems. Maybe she said something like “Well, Mary, you must be getting kind of sore sitting like that on the floor for so long.” Until finally, she appeals to Jesus: “Would you tell her to help me!” One biblical commentator says Jesus’ answer was: “Mary, stay put.”
Then he said to Martha, “Martha, Martha.” Can you hear the kindness in Jesus’ gentle rebuke? “Martha, Martha.” A kindly smile, a twinkle in his eye. “Martha, Martha.” Maybe a shake of his head. “Martha, Martha. You’re so worried and distracted about so many things.”
To say the least, Martha wasn’t doing anything bad. Instead, she was distracted. Distracted by her own goodness, her own habits, however usually good they were. As such, she wasn’t open to relating to Jesus in new ways.
It was as if Martha said, “I’m a cook. A good cook. My meals are the talk of the town. There’s Jesus. I’ll make him a meal. A good meal. There’s no time to sit and listen to his teachings. That would be a waste of time!” To which Jesus would have said: “You’re a good do’er – no question about it. But today you and Mary need to stretch yourself and sit still and listen.
It’s July, it’s hot and you’re probably enjoying a slower pace of life. If you’re more like Mary you’re probably enjoying the chance to catch up on some reading or enjoying time with friends. If you’re a Martha you’re probably enjoying fixing up your house inside or outside or engaged in more active pursuits.
Most Methodists, not all of course, but most tend to be like Martha in expressing their love for God. They, we, like to do. Most Methodists I believe prefer to give time to doing good rather than listening and learning. And that’s great. It’s what I love about Methodists. There is a danger, however.
And that is if we’re prone more to doing; if we’re prone to not reflecting on what we do; if we’re prone to not reading or studying we may be passing up some of the best chances to grow in our faith. What’s more, because mind and body are intertwined, by sacrificing the chance to grow in faith through study we’re not going to be able to “do love” actively as well as we might.
So, a modest proposal for the rest of this summer. And that is, to stretch yourself. Pick up an Upper Room in the back of the church and begin reading. Or find a Bible and read a chapter a day from the Gospel of John plus read the book of Acts about how Christianity began after Jesus. Or go to a book store or the library and pick a book from the religion section that interests you. Or look through the church’s library. Thanks to Janice Moore it’s now well organized.
If you enjoy using the web, I’ve listed a couple of sites on the announcement sheet that will put you in touch with daily readings that will lift your spirit and cast you well into the category of student at Jesus’ knee.
In any case, how about for the rest of the summer let’s love God, do good as we always do. But, let’s be learners too. Let’s stretch ourselves. And, who knows, it might even stretch into being learners as well as do’ers for the rest of our lives. Because sometimes we really need to say to ourselves and one another: “Don’t just do something! Sit there!” And learn.
“Martha, Martha,” Jesus said, “you’re so worried about all the wrong things at all the wrong times, so distracted by lesser things. Mary, on the other hand, has chosen the most important thing and it will never be taken away from her.”
