Truths from the Story of Mary and Martha
The Pressure to Do Everything
During the holidays, life moves faster than ever. Our homes fill up, our schedules pack out, and our minds run nonstop. According to recent studies, most adults feel overwhelmed, hurried, and stretched thin.
We work.
We clean.
We plan.
We juggle.
And even when we are doing good things, we feel pulled in a dozen different directions.
Martha knew that feeling well. She welcomed Jesus into her home, and she genuinely wanted to serve Him. But somewhere between the cooking, cleaning, and constant preparations, she lost sight of the most important thing. Scripture says she was “distracted,” pulled apart, dragged away from the very One she was trying to honor.
Mary, on the other hand, chose something different. She sat at the feet of Jesus. She paused long enough to listen, slow down, and be with Him. She put the main thing first.
Jesus gently told Martha, “You are worried and bothered about many things, but only one thing is necessary.”
That is not a rebuke. It is an invitation.
The Danger of Speed Blindness
NASA’s principle of “speed blindness” is a powerful picture of this. The faster you move, the less you see. And the less you see, the more mistakes you make.
Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was doing everything wrong first.
The good things in her life crowded out the best thing in front of her.
Many of us know this tension. Our jars are full of little rocks: work, meetings, errands, sports, chores, hobbies, social media, travel, serving, family schedules. None of these are bad, but when they come first, the main thing never fits.
Mary chose the big rock first: time in the presence of Jesus.
When Jesus is first, everything else finds its place.
When Jesus is second, everything else falls apart.
The Invitation to Slow Down
You will not drift into God’s presence. You must prioritize it.
You must choose it, pursue it, and protect it.
Jesus was not comparing sisters. He was calling Martha into freedom.
He is doing the same for us.
Only one thing is necessary.
Not ten.
Not three.
One: time with Jesus.
What if you finished this year by choosing one simple change: giving the first 10–15 minutes of your day to Him?
That one shift can change your reputation, your pace, and your peace.
Imagine people saying of you, “They have been with Jesus.”
That is priority business.
Reflect
What good things are filling your “jar” right now and crowding out time with Jesus?
When do you feel most distracted or pulled apart?
What would it look like to put Jesus first in your daily rhythm this week?
How does Mary’s posture challenge your current pace of life?
Pray
Jesus, thank You for inviting me to sit with You and not just work for You. I confess that I often rush, worry, and fill my life with many things while missing the one thing that matters most. Help me slow down and choose time in Your presence. Teach me to put You first so everything else can find its place. Give me a new rhythm, a new priority, and a new peace. Amen.