Jesus had been invited to be a guest at the home of Martha and Mary. As usual, Jesus used the opportunity to teach spiritual truth to those around Him. Mary sat near Jesus and listened eagerly. Martha, on the other hand, busied herself in serving everyone. Eventually Martha went up to Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself? Tell her to help me.” Now Martha certainly was doing a good thing in serving her guests, and if Jesus had asked Mary to help Martha, she probably would have done so. But Jesus spoke to Martha instead. He said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” We all choose to give our time and energy to earthly things – good things. But “indeed only one” thing in life is truly needed. For Mary, nothing was more important than listening to Jesus’ words – learning God’s truth about reality and salvation. Is that the number one thing in my life? Am I leading my family to treasure that one spiritual thing more all the other distractions this life offers? “There is salvation in no one else but Jesus! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
