Will You Choose the Better Part?

- A lesson from Miriam (Mary) and Martha

Recently at Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem, we were having a worship time with a sweet presence of the Lord. I was feeling uplifted.

But then, due to a couple of technical difficulties, I noticed that some of our leaders were getting perturbed, worried, and bothered.

I thought to myself, “See how they are getting worried and bothered instead of concentrating on the worship. What’s the matter with them?” I kept thinking about that, and thinking about it some more, until I totally missed the spirit of the worship, and realized that I had become more perturbed than they were. Oops!

Luke 10:38-42

Yeshua entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. She had a sister named Miriam, who also sat at Yeshua’s feet and heard His teaching.

However, Martha was bothered with so much serving; she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”

Yet, Yeshua answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only one thing is necessary; and Miriam has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This is a challenge we all face - the challenge of missing what the Lord is saying, because of all kinds of responsibilities. Unfortunately, the challenge becomes even greater the more we serve the Lord.

We love God, so we serve Him. To serve Him more, we take responsibility for what needs to be done. With those responsibilities, we often miss out on the intimate presence of the Spirit for which we chose to serve in the first place. Ouch!

Can we learn from this passage to keep ourselves centered on our loving relationship with Yeshua and not become worried and troubled people? Can we stay out of a negative attitude and keep a godly faith-filled positive one? Here are some pointers:

1. Perspective: From Martha to Miriam

We all have some of Martha and some of Miriam inside of us. They both are good in certain aspects. Yet to stay in a worshipful attitude, we have to identify with the Miriam side. We need to see things from a Miriam perspective and see ourselves, first and foremost, as a Miriam-type person.

2. Interrupt the Negative Thought Chain

Martha's "sin" was not that she wanted to clean and cook a meal for the Lord—that's a good thing! But instead of finding joy in her heart of service, she compared herself to her sister and became bitter. When Yeshua called, "Martha, Martha," He wanted to interrupt her negative monologue; to stop the offended story she was telling herself; to stop the "victim narrative." We have to “catch ourselves” in those moments and interrupt the chain of thoughts.

3. You have a Choice

Yeshua said that Miriam had made the right choice. It is possible to choose. You don’t have to be forced. It is your choice. You are not a slave to circumstances. If Miriam could choose, so could Martha. If Martha could choose, so can you and I. Let’s decide to make the right choices.

4. Good Part and Bad Part

Yeshua said Miriam had chosen the good part. Every situation has two parts. No situation is totally good or totally bad. There is a good part and a bad part. Right now, you face a good part and a bad part. The two parts are there as a kind of test or opportunity. The good and the bad parts will always be there, but which part you live in is up to you.

5. Focus on Yeshua

Yeshua also said there is only ONE thing that is totally needed. That is Himself. If there is one thing, then we can be single-minded. As we focus our inner “listening” to Yeshua, we will not miss the good part, and we will not fall into the bad part.

There are times we need to be like Martha, taking responsibility, serving, and sacrificing. Yet there are other times when the same obedience means putting aside the “responsibility-taker” and just enjoying the presence of the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

Let’s prevent ourselves from being “bothered” and “negative-minded” people. Let’s choose the good part in every situation and focus on the Lord. Okay!