Are you a Mary or Martha?

By John Chesnut, Wycliffe USA President/CEO

Post date: April 15, 2019

Hands down, I’m a “Martha.”

What do I mean by that? In Luke 10:38-42, Luke recounts the story of Jesus visiting the house of Mary and Martha. Martha is focused on the details of serving dinner and hosting Jesus, while Mary simply sits at the feet of Jesus and listens.

I resonate with Martha because she’s a task-focused person, and God has wired me as a task-focused person as well. I find that I often build relationships through work. I enjoy spending time with other task-focused people because we get a lot done by quickly working through a to-do list.

Americans are often characterized as task-focused. Sometimes we start with work and then move toward relationship. In most other cultures, however, relationship precedes task. In fact, if one does not start with relationship, then the task may never occur.

So I found it humorous that God would choose to send this “Martha” to serve in the Philippines where relationship precedes task and, in fact, where leading with tasks can actually damage relationships. Living in the Philippines challenged me to consider the traits of Mary, who focused on relationship and just “being.”

I’m grateful that God has provided several “Marys” in my life to help me focus on being rather than just doing. Even in my relationship with my Heavenly Father, I find that I’m often so engaged with doing things for him that I miss spending time in reflection, just being before him. If I’m not careful, my daily devotions can become task-focused. For me, sitting quietly with God requires an intentionality that doesn’t come naturally.

As you consider your own journey of loving God and loving people, where do you need to grow? Maybe you identify as a “Martha.” And being a “Martha” is a good thing, but I also know that I need more of “Mary” in my life. If you find yourself to be more of a “Mary,” how are you doing at being a “Martha”? Both attributes — the acts of being and doing — are important in our relationship with God and in our relationships with others. God desires both attributes in our lives!

A Time of Reflection:

• Do you find that you’re more of a Mary (a “being” person) or Martha (a “task” person)?

• What are two or three things you can practically do to grow in your non-natural tendencies?

• Identify someone in your life who you can engage with as you pursue your non-natural tendency. How can they help you grow and hold you accountable?

As an invitation to engage with your Wycliffe USA colleagues, we’ll include a devotional guide each month in these emails. You can learn about the guide in its introduction below.

Read Introduction

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