Shh, What's That Sound

Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10 is a very interesting chapter. It begins with the commissioning of 70 disciples to go into the surrounding towns and let the people of those towns know God is with them. It didn't matter whether the town agreed with their assessment of God's love, the job of the disciples was to let the town's people know that God had come to be with them.

The very next story we read is that of a lawyer-type person questioning Jesus as to whether or not he understands the law. Jesus not only shows the lawyer that he does understand it, but he also shows how little the lawyer understood it. We hear the story of a Samaritan, considered an outsider of accepted society, acting in the way God expects one to act.

This week we read about Mary and Martha. In some way or another we can all relate to this story of dis-harmony within a household. Martha is orderly - everything has to be in its place and there is always something to do to make it better. Mary is more of a we'll-get-to-it-when-we-can person. Mary's concerns are more with the beauty of life than the beauty of her home. This 1st century odd couple found a way to co-exist despite their life-choice differences.

However, on this particular day Jesus has come to visit and Martha is very stressed out. She feels like she's the only one who cares about the welfare of others, after all she's the only one even trying to prepare snacks and drinks for the gathering. Martha's stress reaches a breaking point and she lashes out at Mary, who is doing what Mary does; sitting with Jesus and listening to him talk.

Martha breaks into the conversation and tells Jesus to make Mary help her. Jesus simply replies, "Martha, don't be mad at Mary, she's doing what she chooses to do. Because it's her choice we should find a way to respect it."

Cool stories, and each one is more than able to stand on its own. What I want to point out is that these three separate stories are collected as one in a single chapter. The question to me is, "Why?"

Let me offer this explanation, and maybe an insight to how 1st century Jews may have heard it if those stories were read together as one. Jesus tells his disciples to tell everyone that God is near. Jesus then tells a story meant to relate how our actions show the love of God. Then we are told a story about a close friend of Jesus who chooses to just sit and listen to him, even in the face of household discontent. Whether we have chosen to act on God's behalf or to simply be in God's presence, it's okay - in both instances God is with us.

Your choices are yours. In the eyes of God you are accepted in your choices. The hope is that the choices you make lead to better relationships, as that between the Samaritan and the stranger or Mary and Jesus. But, either way, God is with you.