That Good Part

We are in the middle of Holy Week. If you’ve been tracking along with us in the Eat Plants and Prosper, “No Greater Love” Holy Week Fast and Devotional, you’ll find that many events took place 2,000 years ago during this week. However, on Wednesday of Holy Week not much was poppin.’

On Palm Sunday, Jesus had his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On Monday he was at the temple turning over tables and throwing folks out. Tuesday he returned to the temple to tell the religious leaders exactly what he thought about them. After all that activity, maybe he just needed to chill (*Kanye shrug*).

So on Wednesday, Jesus was at the house of Simon the Leper who is thought to be the father of his good friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. I’m not just making that up. The bible tells us in John 11:5, “Jesus loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus.” The bible also gives us the insight that Mary was prone to truly understanding the value of her Savior.

During one of Jesus’ previous visits to their home, the bible tells us that Martha is busily consumed with the tasks of serving her guests. Meanwhile her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and is consumed with his words. Unlike Martha, she hadn’t assumed the traditional role (in the kitchen!) expected of women in her culture at the time. She places herself at at Jesus’ feet. This was the posture of a student learning from a rabbi. A posture traditionally reserved for men.

It didn’t bother Jesus at all. He kept on teaching. But Martha wasn’t happy with Mary’s decision. She decided to get Jesus to check her sister who she believed had clearly lost her mind. She asked, “Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

No before we get all holier than thou and “how dare she” on Martha, put yourself in her shoes. You’re entertaining the most important person in human history and his entourage. The bible said she was “distracted with much serving.”

Who can blame her?

We like Martha are often distracted with serving our spouses, kids, employers and church. Our to-do lists have to-do lists. Kids need to get to school, practice and all over creation. The car needs servicing and groceries need to be picked up. If we’ve got guests stopping by, we’ve got to cook, clean and throw what we can’t get to in the closet (Am I the only that does that?).

Martha was focused on entertaining her guests. So who can blame her for being upset when she notices her sister’s absence in the kitchen and then sees her sister chopping it up with the Lord?

In response, the Lord hit Martha with:

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41

There are about 17 lessons in just these few verses. I started the post this way with the intention of setting up how on Holy Wednesday Mary anointed Jesus feet a few chapters later. That was where I thought this was going but God said, nope.

What stuck out to me were Jesus’ words, “that good part.” You know like, that good part of the movie. The good part of the brownies (the corners, obviously). The good part of the day. That really good song. Good wine, good shoes, good food, good friends. A good conversation.

Life is filled with good parts. Are we paying attention to them or are we like Martha with our heads down, distracted. Days flying by without us noticing God’s presence and grace all around us. That Good Part is providing us with life, love, peace, protection and joy. All day, everyday.

But if we’re not paying attention, we miss it. It’s all a blur. We don’t see flowers blooming, birds chirping, temperatures warming and all the newness that spring brings. All we see is the pollen covering everything. We don’t see a steady paycheck and insurance, all we see is the nasty coworker that makes us hate going to work. We don’t see the beauty in the day to day struggles of life. All we see is the struggle (I’m talking to myself here).

Let’s change that by putting down the to-do lists (and our phones!) and picking up the bible. Asking God how he wants to order your day and to help us see his beauty in it.

Let’s stop giving him to-do lists (Lord bless me, my mama, my husband, my kids…) and start worshipping instead. Let’s actually enjoy life instead of just surviving it. Let’s relish in the good stuff big and small. Like Mary, let’s delight at the Master’s feet. After all, He’s the best part of you.

If you’re participating in the Holy Week Fast, drop a comment below and let us know how it’s going for you!