title tale

Okay, I'm so excited about this blog I can't wait another week before posting something new. But I also want to give you time to complete the tasks associated with the first post before piling something else on. Maybe it's not even going to work like that for anyone. But I need to pace myself so I do other things like cooking and cleaning and caring for my children. =o] Anyway, I just thought I would explain why the title of my blog includes a reference to Martha.

You know that story in Luke about the sisters, Mary and Martha, who have Jesus over for dinner? It's only a few short verses: "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman name Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (10: 38-42)

I have thought about this story, and the picture of it that hangs in so many Relief Society rooms worldwide, often throughout my adult life. Why couldn't Martha just sit down and listen like Mary? Did Mary not care about having dinner ready for the Savior to eat? If they knew He was coming over why didn't they get everything done before hand? And if he came unexpectedly, did the Savior ask Martha for dinner, or was she just choosing to be stressed about an unnecessary banquet? And most of all, I think about how sad it is that these women may be stereotyped and put on opposite ends of the testimony spectrum because of this one experience. I feel like they were both amazing people who were trying to show the Savior love and respect in their own way. Of course I would love to sit and be taught by Jesus, but I would also want Him to be sitting in a clean house!

Just as Nephi has instructed, we can liken this scripture story to us in our day for our "profit and learning" (1 Ne. 19:23). To me, this story is about being physically prepared to receive temporal and spiritual blessings. We don't know why these sisters acted the way they did, but we do know that Jesus commended  Mary's choice. It is true that the house needed to be in order and dinner had to be made, but apparently once the Savior arrived the time to clean and prepare the meal had passed and Martha should have sat down with her sister. If everything had been ready before He came, everyone could have been both physically and spiritually fed. I believe the same is true for the time we know to be "nigh at hand" when Jesus Christ will return to the earth (D&C 63:53). We need to prepare each needful part now, before He comes, so that we can be with Him then. We can take the good parts from each of the sisters in the story, and work now so we can rest then. So, here's to you Martha; let's get to work!