One Needful Thing

July 21, 2019

Lk. 10:38-42

Rev. Mary Erickson

One Needful Thing

Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is a joy surrounding hospitality. It’s delightful to be the one who welcomes. And it’s warmly gracious to be the one who is welcomed in turn.

Guests can come in two varieties. Some are invited, and others are the “pop in” variety. They just show up, like a package on your doorstep! Times were when that was a lot more common. People went visiting on Sunday afternoons. But nowadays popping in is much less common. Some people don’t appreciate guests of the pop-in variety. They want to prepare their house so that all looks especially well for their guests.

We have two different stories today in our Bible readings about guests. In the first story, from Genesis, the guests pop in. In the story from Luke, Mary extends an invitation.

Abraham is sitting in the doorway of his tent, trying to catch a breeze during the heat of the day. After this past week, we know all about the heat of the day! But no one here is complaining, not after this last winter!

Abraham had pitched his tent near a big oak tree. It was siesta time. Three men appeared, walking across the barren terrain. They must have shimmered in the heat. Why would anyone be walking during that time of day? That was dangerous and could cost you your life!

I lived for one summer in Arizona, in Phoenix. It was VERY hot! When someone came to your house, the very first think you asked them was, “Would you like a glass of water?” There was an urgency about it, too. You didn’t wait around until they were nicely settled into their seat. Seeing to their physical need for hydration was pressing.

Necessity forms the shape of hospitality. Abraham found himself in just such a dry and hot climate like Arizona. These travelers needed attention! He wastes no time in seeing to their needs. Even in the heat of the day, Abraham scurries about like a man on a mission.

Then something unusual happens. Abraham and Sarah receive the blessing of the Lord. The guest becomes their host. He announces that Abraham and Sarah will be blessed with a son.

In the second story, the guest doesn’t pop in. He’s invited. Jesus is invited to the home of Martha. It’s rather unusual that a woman should have invited a man. AND that she does it in such a public setting. This was a bold move for a woman of her time.

There’s no mention of brother Lazarus in this story, but we know he’s part of the household. It’s an unusual family, don’t you think? You have three adult siblings who are living together. That would be very unusual today. There is no mention of spouses. We don’t know the stories behind their living arrangements. Perhaps both sisters had been widowed, and brother Lazarus took them in. At any rate, it’s an unusual family setting.

Jesus is invited to Martha’s home. Even though it would most rightly be her brother Lazarus’ home, she feels comfortable inviting a guest to their house. And Luke tells us that she invites Jesus to HER home. I think I know who the eldest child is in that family!

Keep in mind how Jesus’ itinerant ministry worked. He and his disciples would walk from one city or village to another. When they arrived, they waited until someone invited them to stay with them. Jesus had instructed his disciples to take no money in their pouches. He once said, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Jesus and his disciples were vulnerable to the elements and dependent on the hospitality of their hosts..

So Jesus had arrived at Bethany. Martha was aware of it, and she invites him to stay with her. When they get to her house, Martha is busy taking care of his hospitality needs. Accommodations need to be prepared, the food readied, water is brought for the washing of feet. There is a lot to do! Martha was a busy woman.

And just where was her sister Mary??? Imagine Martha’s outrage when she saw Mary sitting leisurely at the feet of Jesus!

There are different ways to demonstrate care and love to another person. Some people are verbally demonstrative. Others are huggers. Martha was a woman who demonstrated her love through service. She made sure to provide for their needs. Martha was a Capable Woman. She had a mental list of everything she wanted accomplished to take care of her visitors’ needs.

But Mary is cut from a different bolt of cloth. Mary shows her devotion by being with that person, by being physically near them and being truly present. Mary seems oblivious to all the things so important to Martha. But Mary’s inactivity meant that Martha would have to work doubly hard. So Martha was by herself, seeing to everything that needed to be done. She was checking everything off her prep list, while Mary enjoyed Jesus’ company.