More often than not, we are more like Martha than Mary. Martha is known to be the multitasker and the sibling who is more worried and anxious. But there is more to Martha than that. Martha’s characteristics show how wonderfully admirable and relatable she truly is.
MARTHA IS SELF-AWARE
She knows her needs and knows when to seek help. This is a strength. When she told Jesus that she needed her sister’s assistance, it was a good sign that she knew her limitations as a human being. In the same way, we should not deny ourselves of help when we need it. We might not know it but we might be pushing ourselves too far in our wanting to accomplish a lot of things at once.
MARTHA IS GOOD AT EXPRESSING EMOTIONS
When we express, we open ourselves to the triggers of emotion. Acknowledging our needs helps us navigate life. Like Martha, we should learn when to say no, take a pause, and refuse to keep pushing forward when our bodies are no longer willing. Doing so may only lead to strain.
MARTHA HAS GOOD LEADERSHIP SKILLS
As someone in command at home who makes sure the needs of others are met, Martha exudes organization and responsibility. She is also likely to be the clan-keeper, the one who keeps the family together. Without Martha, who will take charge? As wonderful as it was for Mary to drop everything with reckless abandon to be with Jesus, life certainly also gives us opportunities to be responsible like Martha.
MARTHA IS DEFINED
She knows what she wants! She has the wisdom to see what is needed and see beyond her own needs. She knows how to access her womanly intuition.
MARTHA IS WELL-ROUNDED
She knows how to serve and connect with Jesus. She may be imperfect but she is a woman of admirable faith. Before Jesus declared it, she already knew that He was the son of God. If not for her pure faith, she would not have bothered to ask Jesus to raise her dead brother. But Martha believes in Him. She may be preoccupied with worldly distractions but she is faithful.
MARTHA IS ALL ABOUT DOING
At times, life calls us to do things with reckless abandon. At times, it also presents opportunities to take charge and move. The sisters Mary and Martha remind us that we always have a choice. We should learn when to single-task and when to multi-task. We should know when to lead, when to listen, or when to serve. We should even challenge ourselves to strike the balance between leading and serving at the same time for it is through doing such that we allow ourselves to be intentional in growing closer to Jesus. – WITH PAU DE VERA
Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash