Mary Of Bethany

by Toms, A. F. | Category: Some Of Peter's Companions | Jul 1986

Let's go back again to the home in Bethany and learn the lesson Mary has to teach us. It must have been an impressive object lesson to the twelve apostles to see this devoted young woman sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus and drinking in every word He was speaking.

It says she also sat at His feet and heard His word. I've often wondered what the word "also" means in that context. Does it mean she'd done her share of the work in preparation for the visitors, and then she sat at the Lord's feet? I rather think so, for I can't imagine she'd have left her sister to do it all alone.

That's where Martha made her mistake, wasn't it? She learned her lesson though, for later on, another occasion is recorded when they entertained the Lord Jesus, and Martha is serving again, and this time without any distraction.

There's a time to serve and a time to sit at His feet. And the important thing is to get a right balance between the two. If our service, even for the Lord Jesus, fills our lives to the point where we are too busy to hear His word, then we've got our priorities wrong. We have to make our choice. Mary did. And the Master commended her for it. "Mary hath chosen the good part" He said, "which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42).

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" wrote the apostle Paul to the Colossians (3:16). The word of Christ is an eternal word. And if we store it in our hearts it will bring us eternal reward. It will not be taken away from us. It's an enriching word too, "more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold" said David the psalmist. And it's a cleansing word. "Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you" said the Lord Jesus (John 15:3). Not only does it cleanse us initially, when first we come to Christ, but it keeps on cleansing us, if we keep on taking it into our hearts. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" or any man, or any woman, of course. "By taking heed thereto according to Thy word" (Ps. 119:9).

So from every angle Mary chose the good part, and we shall do well to follow her example. Let's make sure that nothing whatever is allowed to crowd out of our lives those vital times of communion with our Lord Jesus, when we sit at His feet and hear His word. It will take time and discipline, but we cannot do without them.

Toms, A. F. | Jul 1986
Some Of Peter's Companions