Housework Housework is not my favourite occupation.  It is inevitability! There is a meal to cook, but when you have done it there are pots to wash, and before you can start on it there is shopping to do, and it all starts again the next day.  The kitchen floor is clean – until someone walks on it – and they always do!

Do you find that a friendly knock on the door makes you mentally check the state of tidiness? A friend arrives – and you panic about the state of the rooms.

Jesus went to Martha’s home. I dare say she invited him to stay for dinner. Certainly, her mind was on preparations. We all know that Martha seemed annoyed at Mary for doing nothing while she did all the work, and we usually pick up on the fact that Mary chose to do nothing but listen and spend time on this day of the visit.  For all we know, Mary may have been an excellent worker on any other day, but actively chose to spend precious time with Jesus on this day of all days.

If we look closer at Jesus we can see that he knows what is troubling Martha, and that the housework is just the tip of the iceberg.  When we are greatly worried, somehow we usually still manage to function.  We do our job mechanically, dispassionately, perhaps even poorly – but mostly we still function!

Jesus knew that Martha was worried and upset! Mary’s behaviour today was not the main cause of the upset but simply the trigger for a response.

How about you? Are you just barely functioning? Martha had the invitation to stop. Whatever she was doing was not as necessary as she had believed.  Stopping and simply listening was much higher on Jesus’ agenda.

Listen.