This post was written by Claire. In this post, she discusses the story of Mary and Martha, and what it can teach us about how we can approach our relationship with serving in God’s Kingdom.
Luke 10:38-42 tells the familiar story of two sisters, Mary and Martha, both welcoming Jesus into their home. One sits at His feet and listens. The other busies herself with preparations. Jesus gently affirms Mary’s choice and redirects Martha’s anxious striving. The passage is often read as a caution against busyness, but it also offers a deeper invitation to examine the posture of our service and the condition of our hearts.
Luke’s brief account of Mary and Martha is deceptively simple. A home. A meal. A guest – Jesus. Yet within these few verses lies a tension many believers still wrestle with today: the pull between doing for Jesus and being with Jesus.
When Martha Takes Over (service replacing devotion)
Most of us, if we’re honest, have lived seasons that look far more like Martha’s kitchen than Mary’s feet. We serve tirelessly. We organise, plan, show up, and give. We carry responsibility – often for people, ministries, or causes we deeply care about. But slowly, subtly, something shifts: Service becomes obligation rather than overflow. Ministry becomes exhausting instead of life-giving. Resentment creeps in: “Lord, don’t you care…?” We measure faithfulness by output rather than intimacy. Martha wasn’t wrong to serve, but she was serving from anxiety rather than assurance, from pressure rather than presence.
For me, this story is no longer theoretical. It mirrors a season of my own life. A couple of years ago, I was serving in a place I deeply cared about. I genuinely loved the work. I loved the people. I loved sharing Jesus with those I met, served, and walked alongside. Service felt meaningful, worship to God. I believed I had placed Jesus at the very centre of everything I did. Or at least, that’s what I told myself.
I showed up willingly. I poured myself out gladly. I believed I was doing this for Jesus. But over time, something changed. My walk with God became dry – distant. Prayer felt forced. Scripture no longer refreshed me – it felt like another task on a long list. I was exhausted, not just physically, but spiritually. And yet, I kept going. I told myself I had to. I began to believe that if I stopped serving, I would disappoint so many people, and I wouldn’t be doing my purpose. I took on roles not because I was led, but because I felt obligated. I had become more Martha than Mary. Not because I loved serving too much but because I had slowly stopped listening. I stopped resting. I stopped receiving. My service was no longer flowing from devotion; it was driven by fear. Fear of letting people down. Fear of falling short. And service rooted in fear will always lead to burnout. Like Martha, I was doing many good things, but my heart was no longer at rest.
Looking back, I wonder if I had slowly mistaken serving Jesus for being with Jesus. I wonder if my devotion had quietly shifted from loving obedience to a need to prove that I was faithful or useful. Like Martha, I was busy. And like Martha, I was convinced my busyness mattered deeply to God.
This is the subtle danger Luke’s gospel reveals: service can quietly replace devotion. Not because service is wrong, but because it can become untethered from listening. Martha’s issue was not her hospitality; it was her anxiety. She was “worried and upset about many things,” and in the process, she missed the invitation to simply be with Jesus.
Sitting with Mary’s Choice: The “Better Part”
When I read Luke 10:38-42, I no longer rush to judge Martha. I recognise her. She loved Jesus. She welcomed Him into her home. She worked hard because His presence mattered to her. But somewhere between the kitchen and the living room, her service became heavy. Distracting. Anxious.
“Martha, Martha,” Jesus says.
“You are worried and upset about many things.” That gentle repetition of her name feels like compassion, not condemnation. Jesus doesn’t dismiss her service. He addresses her heart. Mary chose to sit at His feet, not because serving was unimportant, but because listening came first. Her posture reminds me that intimacy with Jesus is not something to be squeezed in once everything else is done. It is the starting place.
Jesus’ words are striking in their tenderness: “Mary has chosen what is better.” This is not a dismissal of service, but a reordering of priorities. Mary’s posture – sitting at Jesus’ feet – signals attentiveness, humility, and presence. It reminds us that intimacy with Christ is not a reward for faithful service; it is the foundation of it. When devotion is neglected, service becomes heavy. It is driven by fear rather than love, obligation rather than joy. And eventually, it leads to burnout, resentment, or spiritual dryness.
Holding Mary and Martha Together
Revisiting this passage has compelled me to confront uncomfortable yet essential questions: Am I serving from love or from fear? Am I listening to Jesus as much as I am working for Him? Have I confused faithfulness with busyness? I am learning that God is not disappointed when I pause. That rest is not a failure of commitment. That stepping back from roles does not mean stepping away from Christ. True service flows from devotion – it does not compete with it.
The goal is not to become less Martha-like, but to become a Martha who has first learned to sit like Mary. A believer whose work is rooted in worship. A disciple who listens deeply and serves generously. A servant whose hands are busy, but whose heart is still. Luke 10:38–42 invites us to hold both devotion and service in the right order. It calls us back to the one thing necessary – a life anchored in Christ’s presence.
Returning to the Feet of Jesus
As we reflect on this passage, it is worth asking: Where has service become heavy rather than holy? What expectations – internal or external – are shaping my obedience? When was the last time I sat at Jesus’ feet without an agenda? Perhaps the most faithful response today is not another task, but a quiet moment of listening. Like Mary, we are invited to choose the better part and to trust that it will not be taken away.
Claire hails from Uganda and has worked extensively with refugees, supporting Peacebuilding and conflict resolution initiatives, as well as providing mental health and psychosocial support to displaced communities both Uganda and the UK.
Claire has a deep heart for people affected by conflict and displacement. She is passionate about walking alongside individuals and communities as they rebuild their lives, strengthen resilience, and seek lasting solutions together. Grounded in her Christian faith, she is committed to sharing Jesus while addressing the everyday challenges people face, including poverty, trauma, and social exclusion, and social justice, believing that true healing and peace are ultimately found in Christ.
She is currently exploring opportunities to serve in North Africa, particularly among displaced and vulnerable communities.
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