Mary sat at Jesus' feet
"And she
had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and
heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and
came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister
hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help
me." (Lk 10:39-40)
Mary is not characterized by such a reception of the Lord, by
loving attentions and hospitality, though founded, no doubt,
upon a growing out of faith. "Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and
listened to his word." Some might suppose this to be a far less
proof of love; but to Jesus it was incomparably the more
acceptable of the two. Martha did honor to Jesus as a believing,
righteous Jew might; she owned herself subject, Himself as King,
and was as happy as her faith would admit of in thus receiving
the Lord to her house in the day of His humiliation but her
sister sat at His feet and heard His word. In her case it was
not so much what she did for the Lord; but she had such a sense
of His greatness and love that her one point was to sit at His
feet (an attitude of far deeper humiliation than Martha ever
took) with the consciousness of the divine fullness there was in
Him for her. She heard His word; but Martha "was distracted with
much serving.," How many there are who are fond of serving the
Lord, but are much more full of their own
doings for Him than of what He is to them as well as in
Himself! This deceives many. They measure faith by their round
of bustle and activity. But in truth this always has a great
deal of self in it. When true humility animates, there may be
much done, but there is little noise. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet
and heard His word.
William Kelly,
E 175
